It Takes A Village
by Lavixie
Summary: They say it takes a village to raise a child. Sesshomaru is about to learn that human children do not get easier with age, but with a little help from a blue eyed priestess, he might just survive it...maybe SESSXKAG! Reviews are appreciated!
1. Teenage Woes

I know, I know, you guys want updates on Solace and Silence! I'm sorry but this one was not taking no for an answer! Please read, follow, favorite, and review!

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Chapter 1: Teenage Woes

When I was younger, I fantasized of white knights in shining armor battling fearsome dragons and saving beautiful damsels. I never imagined I would meet one in real life. Nor did I ever imagine raising a child with one either.

"You spoil her." I ignored him, instead focusing on my task at hand. Building a fire was no easy feat without the help of lighters or matches. Those were like a distant memory to me now. A soft rumble across from me finally had me looking up, irritation rising within me.

"Thats funny coming from you. Were you not the one who bought her a new kimono that last visit?" A slight narrowing of his eyes was the only answer to my question. Smirking, I went back to attempting once again to get the stupid sticks on fire.

You would think five years of making my own fires that I would be better at it. Yet the chore was still just that, a chore. It required thought, hard work, and on days like today, failure.

"This and that are not the same thing." I rolled my eyes. Was he still going on about that?

"It's a cat Sesshomaru, not a castle." I silently thanked god as a tiny flame appeared from the sparks of my flint, and with renewed faith, I fed my tiny source of heat with a bit of moss, before gently blowing life into it. Soon my flame became a fire, and with a relieved sigh, I went about the hut to start getting ready to cook dinner.

"This Sesshomaru did not agree to this decision. Take it back to wherever it is the feline came from." I could feel my temper rising, but with hard won patience that I had earned over the years, I instead slammed my pan none to gently onto the fire.

I was still working on the patience thing.

"No." Best to keep my answers short and sweet. He would get over it eventually. So what if I had let Rin keep a cat. She had been lonely this past winter, and the poor thing had been starving. It was what you called a win-win situation. Besides, it was easier to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.

"Get rid of it or I will." And just like that, my patience was gone. I crossed my arms, practically vibrating with anger as I glared at him, thick hot energy pulsing around me in a blaze of pink.

"Touch one hair on that cat and you will have a lot more than a cat to worry about." Those golden eyes sparked with something that I could not describe. It was a look I'd only seen a few times, and for a moment, I was unsure if I was seeing things.

Perhaps threatening the lord of the west wasn't exactly the wisest decision, but there was no way I was going to let him give into his doggy instincts and hurt an innocent kitten. I didn't even want to think of how Rin would react to it. She had barely left her new furry companion alone for more than a few seconds.

"A kimono is a necessity. The cat is not a necessity. It is an inconvenience." With an irritated sigh, I threw a bit of oil onto the pan, letting it heat up as I glared at the irritated dog demon.

"Fine. Go tell Rin to give up her cat. I'll wait." There was something about getting under his skin, it was like a secret pleasure, finding all the hidden buttons that could get him to do exactly as I wanted. Perhaps this was what you called feminine charm?

"You gave her the cat. You get rid of it." I couldn't stop myself from chuckling, knowing that the battle was already won. There was no way in hell Sesshomaru would ever hurt Rin. Would never be the "bad guy." He must be crazy if he thought I was going to let him play good cop on this one.

"I'm not the one who has the problem with the cat. You do. So you take care of it." Hook. Line. And sinker. The subtle shift in his posture was a dead give away what he thought about that.

"The cat stays here. It will not travel with us." It was like witnessing a bad soap opera, watching Rin come in at that exact moment, her sweet chocolate brown eyes widening in shock, her arms tightening around her cream colored companion.

"Artemis…isn't coming?" She asked, her bottom lip quivering as she stared at her lord.

If he had been a cursing man, I'm certain he would have spouted a few choice words at her bad timing. I pretended not to notice his exasperation, choosing instead to feed the hot oil with some deer meat, enjoying the sweet scent of cooking meat.

A sad mew left the little feline, his big impossibly blue eyes looking at Sesshomaru with a sweetness that no one with a heart could ignore. I watched from the corner of my eye as his eyebrow ticked, unconsciously holding my breath as I watched the showdown between the two.

Rin was finally at that age where hormones were rearing its ugly head. Thirteen was a rough age for anyone, and secretly I wondered how Sesshomaru would be able to handle the headstrong woman Rin was turning out to be.

No one ever said fatherhood was easy.

"It stays." He sounded so sure. As if there was not a doubt in his mind that the cat would stay here. Certainly, he expected his ward to listen to him, for he was her lord. Unfortunately, he hadn't just spent the winter with her, or realize that after you received a visit from aunt flow, that the word no was no longer an acceptable answer.

"FINE! IF ARTEMIS STAYS. SO DOES RIN!" and with that, she was stomping out of the hut, her feline companion in tow.

Ah. Sweet sweet revenge.

I admit, I felt a little bad for him as he stared after his ward, his mouth slightly agape, eyes staring with disbelief at the flapping fabric that was my door. Within an instant though, my sympathy was gone like the wind, as he turned accusing eyes on me.

"What…was…that?" I flipped the meat over, ignoring his biting tone. I had spent the last few years dealing with his temper with barely a thank you or even a compliment. It hadn't bothered me when we first met, nor would it bother me now.

"That my dear fluffy friend, is what we call a teenager. Get used to it. She's all yours this summer." I couldn't help but smile teasingly, enjoying how lost he looked at the moment. He was probably still trying to wrap his mind over the fact Rin had yelled at him…over a cat.

I watched him take a tentative sniff of the air, his eyes closed as if he was working out a problem in his head. My long years of friendship with Inuyasha had taught me that a dog demon's nose was not something to take lightly.

It had been beyond embarrassing to realize that he always knew when my cycle was, or if my stomach was upset, or hell, if I was having a daytime fantasy. And he was only a half demon. I could only imagine how strong Sesshomaru's sense of smell was. It was…concerning to say the least.

"Her scent…is different." Despite my eagerness at teasing him, I couldn't stop my heart from breaking a little bit at his tone. His little girl was growing up. It felt like just yesterday she had been a child of eight full of laughter and childish pranks.

Now, Rin's head touched right under my jaw, her legs long and awkward at this age, her hair so long that on most days she kept it in a ponytail as she helped me with the sick and suffering. She had seen so much for one so young, and lately, it had been showing.

"She had her first cycle shortly after you left, and I suspect she has grown another 5 centimeters since then." It was hard, to see him try to conceal his pain.

"She is too young to be considered a woman. She is still…a child." I stood up quietly, before walking around the fire to sit next to him. Without thinking, I gently grabbed his hand and squeezed it, my eyes looking at his. I felt him stiffen for a moment, but he didn't pull away.

Perhaps it was because he was surprised at my nerve. Or maybe he was so distraught that he wasn't thinking clearly. Somehow, I highly doubted that, but whatever reason it might be, I took it in stride.

"She IS still a child Sesshomaru, no matter what her body does. Just because her…scent is different…doesn't change anything. Just because she has the ability to have children now, doesn't mean that she should. Believe me when I say, if any boy or man looks at her wrong, you will have to fight me for first dibs at them."

Despite the circumstances, a tiny smirk appeared, and I could feel my heart skip a beat at the way his eyes glittered with amusement. Apparently the way to Sesshomaru's heart was threatening to kill something. Figures.

With slightly pink cheeks, I realized I was still holding his hand, and quickly let go, instead focusing back on my cooking meat. With a pair of chopsticks, I grabbed the now cooked meat and put it on a plate, before throwing some more oil and meat into the pan.

I offered the plate to Sesshomaru, who took it without a word. We had long since had the argument of him turning down perfectly good food due to his demon sensibilities, whatever the hell that meant.

Apparently old dogs really could learn new tricks.

"Do you think she wishes to stay here for the summer?" I couldn't stop my sigh, knowing that not only did I have a brooding teenager to deal with, now I had a brooding dog demon as well.

"I don't know. Do you think her bringing a cat is really that big of a deal?" I could see the way his eye ticked with irritation, our previous argument rearing right back up again.

"It is inconvenient…and useless." I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling, knowing this would probably go on for awhile.

"So is Jaken, but you keep him around." As I flipped the meat, I almost jumped at the unexpected sound of him chuckling, and instantly turned my head at him in shock. I had made him laugh? Me? Was the world ending?

"So you are saying I should get rid of Jaken and take this feline instead?" I couldn't stop my laughter at the image of the poor imp begging his lord not to have him replaced by a cat. The pain, the agony! Oh the humiliation!

"Now my dear Lord, when have I ever told you what to do?" Joking with him always felt so fun. So right. It was as if there wasn't this ginormous gap between us.

That he wasn't some great demon lord who only gave me the time of day because his ward liked me, and because I was a great babysitter during the winter months. Anything more than that was out of the question.

Years ago, after the destruction of Naraku and the final chapter of the Shikon Jewel, he had brought his young human ward to our village. The winter would be rough that year, and he did not wish for her to get sick on their travels. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and they weren't kidding.

Despite Rin's ability to handle herself, she was quite the handful, and had a penchant for trouble. Maybe she got that trait from me?

While Rin had eventually became comfortable being a part of this village, Sesshomaru on the other hand, had not. He rarely stayed longer than a few hours, and we had gotten in our fair share of arguments of how Rin should be raised.

Sango and Miroku would both joke about how we acted like a real married couple. Inuyasha at first would get in-between us, fearing that one of these days I would truly bite off more than I could chew. Despite my sometimes lack of tact, Sesshomaru never raised one claw at me, and eventually Inuyasha relaxed, trusting that his brother would not harm me.

That or he decided I wasn't worth dying for.

Either way, I had become expectant of Sesshomaru's arrivals, even came to anticipate them. He was like a breath of fresh air in the mundane every day life of this village. I missed adventure. Missed not knowing where I'd be tomorrow.

It didn't hurt that he was easy on the eyes, despite his taciturn personality. When you rubbed him the right way though, he was quite fun to talk to. You could tell he loved Rin deeply, even if he had a funny way of showing it. Though according to Rin, he was incredibly caring once you got to know him.

Sometimes, I wondered if the stories she told were just her imagination. But as I took in the way his shoulders relaxed, and the gentle way he smiled when he thought of her, I knew I was foolish not to believe her.

Knew it was foolish to hope the only person who had ever made him laugh was me.

"I'll talk to Rin about Artemis later. I'm sure she will calm down after she eats something." Another funny side effect of her newly awakened hormones, I'm sure. I wasn't quite sure if I should let Sesshomaru be privy to that sort of information though.

He only nodded, otherwise quiet as I placed the now cooked meat on a plate, before throwing another chunk in the pan. Smiling, I glanced at him as I stood up, plate in hand.

"Watch the fire for me ok. If that meat is burnt when I get back, you'll be in big trouble mister!" I didn't bother waiting for his reply, his dark look spoke more than I wanted to hear anyways.

Instead, I walked outside, enjoying the quiet of the evening as everyone had quit the fields for the day and were turning in. The scent of cooking food was heavy in the air, a gentle scent of homeyness that always seemed to soothe my soul.

I found Rin at Sango's hut, holding the demon slayers rowdy son as she prepared dinner for her wicked lot. Artemis had found himself a home in Kaya's arms, the oldest of the twins. Saya, the younger twin, apparently wasn't handling it well, and was begging her father to let her hold the pretty kitty.

He only laughed and told her to help her mother with dinner.

"Rin, its dinner time. Are you ready to come home?" I asked, gently combing her hair with my free hand. Pouting, she turned away, but the scent of cooked deer was too much to resist, and soon she was reaching for it.

"Ah ah ahhh." You can eat it at home. Now, how about you and Kaya switch what you are holding and we will head back.

For a moment, it looked like she would argue, but at the sight of the juicy meat on my plate, her shoulders slumped and with typical teenage angst, she spun on her heel and stomped to her destination.

Soon, Artemis was in hand, and we were wishing everyone a good night before heading back.

"So…you wanna talk about it." I asked, knowing that if I started this conversation wrong, it would blow up in my face.

"He is Rin's cat. He's a good kitty. Rin will take good care of him. Why won't Lord Sesshomaru let Rin keep him? It's not fair!" I couldn't help but wonder if I was like this when I was thirteen. How mama and grandpa survived it was beyond me. I could only pray to have my mother's patience, and grandpa's good humor.

"Rin. You know its dangerous out there. Artemis isn't like Kirara or Ah-Un. He's just a sweet little kitty cat. Sesshomaru is just worried that he will get hurt and thinks he would be safer here with me. I promise I'll take reallllly good care of him while your away." Despite my gentle tone, I could see the tears in her eyes, and the way she was shaking her head.

"Rin isn't strong and Sesshomaru protects Rin just fine. Why can't he protect Artemis too?" As much as I wanted to agree with her, I knew I couldn't. How could I trust Artemis not to wander off at the wrong moment and put Rin in danger? I couldn't.

"I had a cat when I was about your age. His name was Buyo. He was the fattest, sweetest, laziest cat you had ever met. When I moved here, I was really sad I couldn't bring him with me. But when I thought about it, I knew it would be really dangerous for a sweet kitty like Buyo. So I trusted him to my mom to keep him safe for me till I came back. Rin, do you really think Artemis would be okay out there?"

Standing outside my hut, I turned to look at her. Every sniffle and choked sob broke my heart, and as much as I wanted to throw my arms around her and promise her the world, I couldn't. A part of me wished she had never brought home that cat all those months ago, if only because I couldn't stand her tears.

I had known this would happen. Had known without a doubt Sesshomaru would never allow her little feline friend to accompany them. I had also known though, that I was more than willing to keep him for her in the meantime.

I was an animal lover after all.

"Kagome promises to take good care of Artemis? Promise to give him belly rubs every day and feed him every morning and every night." I couldn't stop myself from smiling, knowing that by the will of god I had somehow gotten through to this stubborn child.

And got a cat out of it too.

"I promise to rub his belly as much as he wants, and to feed him every day and every night and sometimes in-between."

Hiccuping, she held the purr machine up to me, and with a heavy heart, I traded my plate of cooked meat for her furry companion. Once more, my hand stroked her hair, loving the silky texture, and the way it always soothed her.

Biting her lip, she looked at the hut, before her big brown eyes were once more peeking up at mine.

"Do you think Lord Sesshomaru is angry with Rin?" She whispered, her eyes once more darting back and forth between the hut and me.

Quietly, I leaned down so I could whisper into her ears, knowing Sesshomaru could hear every word, but wanting to let her believe it was a secret anyways.

"I think Rin owes lord Sesshomaru a very sincere apology." She did chose a cat over him after all. Every doggy sensibility in him must be absolutely mortified. I tried my best not to giggle.

She nodded before taking a deep breath, silently preparing herself for what was to come. I gave her an encouraging smile before walking in, holding the door open for her incase she got scared and bolted off.

Rin was a trooper though, and with a straight back and stiff shoulders she walked straight up to Sesshomaru, before bowing at the hip, her pretty long hair falling like a black waterfall around her.

"Rin was … Rin is sorry Lord Sesshomaru. Rin shouldn't have yelled or said those things. Rin … Rin wants to be with Lord Sesshomaru. Kagome promised to watch Artemis while Rin is gone. Rin is really sorry my lord."

It was the first time I had ever seen Rin get upset with Sesshomaru about anything, other than maybe that first time he had brought her here. She had begged and pleaded not to be left behind. Now she was excited, happy to spend time during the winter learning different ailments and herbs.

To be honest, I couldn't help but feel proud as she apologized. True, she might be a child, but she was growing up. Too quickly it seemed. Looking at Sesshomaru, I couldn't help but feel that he felt the same.

"Come eat Rin. We leave shortly." And just like that, she was forgiven. If you called that forgiveness…

"Yes my lord!" she crowed, eagerly taking a seat next to him. I handed her a pair of chopsticks, setting down the cat before taking my seat next to her. A plate was handed to me, and with shock, I took it, noticing that it was cooked just the way I had liked, and a pair of clean chopsticks were already on the plate.

I accepted the meal, my cheeks heating up as I realized I had literally threatened Sesshomaru to cook for me. Peeking up at him, I whispered a thank you, feeling strangely warm at the thought that not only had he caught this deer, he had cooked it for me.

Maybe I was the spoiled one after all?

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So what did you think. Those of you following solace will probably notice that Artemis is my cat who unfortunately passed away a few days ago. This chapter is dedicated to him. If there was anyone in the world I would ever give him to, it would be Kagome and Rin. I wanted to write something for him, but didn't really see how I could incorporate it into my other fanfics without it seeming silly, so I decided to start a whole new story just for him.

I know, crazy cat lady alert. Anyways, please note that Kagome will go more in detail of her relationship with Inuyasha, or rather lack thereof, in later chapters. I hate starting every fic like no those two are not together and Kagome is totally available. Sometimes, I just want her thoughts to speak for themselves. As you guys may have guessed, this is gonna be another parenting fic of my favorite couple, but its gonna go more in detail of how they drive each other crazy, while trying to raise a teenager.

Hope you guys liked this story, and remember to follow, favorite, AND REVIEW! Happy New Years!


	2. Lonely Misunderstandings

Hey everyone! Thank you for the amazing reviews. I was so excited. 9 reviews for just chapter 1! What an amazing start! To be honest, I wasn't quite sure how I wanted to go about this chapter, but I think you'll notice the flow picks up pretty quick, and the plot will soon thicken. I seriously loved this chapter. Hope you guys do too!

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 **Chapter 2: Lonely Misunderstandings**

Loneliness. It was a feeling that I wasn't used to, but suddenly had come knocking on my doorstep. It had only been five days since Rin had left, but it felt as if I had been swallowed by a void. Just last fall, Shippo had decided he wanted to attend the demon fox academy. Now Rin was gone too. It was just too…quiet.

"Mreeeeoooooow," well, as quiet as a house could be with a mouthy siamese around. Rolling my eyes, I picked up Artemis, enjoying his soft purrs as they vibrated into my chest. The day had been thankfully uneventful. A few colds had popped up, one of the men had slit his hand in the field that required stitches. Nothing fun or out of the ordinary today.

I couldn't stop my depressed sigh as I sat outside my hut, taking in the beautiful full moon and the twinkling stars of the night.

It had been five years since I was first dragged into this world. After the defeat of Naraku, I thought maybe Inuyasha and I would finally have our chance. That we were meant to be… Perhaps that was the wishful thinking of a young teenager on the cusp of first love.

What I learned though, was that maybe Inuyasha and I were never meant to be, but my love for this time was real. The adventure, the beautiful landscapes and interesting people. I loved all those things…so why was I here?

Where was the adventure? The beautiful forests and mountains I had adored? The people? Instead, I was cooped up in a village, my spirit pushed deep inside with no hope to escape. Kaede had passed away two summers ago. Sango and Miroku were raising a beautiful horde of children, and though I loved seeing them every day, it wasn't the same.

When Kikyo had passed away during the final battle, a piece of Inuyasha had died with her. In the end, we were in the same boat. In love with someone that we could never have. He tried to be there for us when we needed him, tried to be happy for Miroku and Sango's growing family, but there was a longing that he could not ignore.

So he had taken to wandering, helping where he was needed, finding a purpose that had nothing to do with Naraku or shikon jewel shards. A deep hidden part of me wanted to go with him, but I knew that all it would bring was pain. There was no future with Inuyasha. I would not be his replacement for a woman he had lost. He would not be my replacement for the loneliness inside of me.

So I sat under a forlorn moon, with only a cat for company. This must be what empty nest syndrome felt like. During the day, the village children would accompany me in my search for herbs, the older teens would help with my daily duties of assisting the unwell. I kept myself busy during my free time, teaching archery and making teabags with leftover scraps of silks and cloths.

Surprisingly, my teabags had become popular throughout the village, and had soon become a sensation. I was just hoping I didn't exactly change the course of history with my need to be closer to home.

I scratched Artemis behind the ears, just taking in the surrounding quiet, when a demonic aura appeared from the west. With a start, I stood and looked in that direction. Sesshomaru never came back early, the only exception being when Rin had fell ill a few years ago. They had only left five days ago, and she had been completely healthy…which could only mean…

With frantic energy, I ran back into the hut, leaving Artemis on the bed before grabbing my bow and arrows and a small emergency bag that carried my basic first aid supplies. Without a second thought, I ran back outside, my heart in my throat as I took off toward his approaching aura.

I had barely made it to the tree line when he finally appeared, his familiar white and red sleeves dancing flirtatiously with the wind. I didn't stop running until I quite literally ran into him, my hands lightly tracing his face, chest and arms, my eyes wide and assessing for anything that could be wrong.

Taking a deep breath of relief, I relaxed, realizing that he wasn't in any danger. I relaxed further when I realized Rin was not with him. She must be fine if he didn't bring her with him.

"This Sesshomaru is well Priestess." the amusement in his gaze brought a heated blush to my cheeks, realizing with some mortification that I had practically attacked him trying to make sure he was okay. Suddenly, I felt ridiculous and irritated.

"I just…I thought…never mind." I whispered as I looked away, deciding that I had wasted my energy worrying about him. If I had paid more attention when I had noticed his presence, I would have known Rin was not with him, and that there was no weakness in his aura. Instead, I had taken off like hell hounds were nipping at my heels. It was embarrassing to say the least.

"So…what brings you here," I asked, my fingers fiddling with my bow in hopes of distracting myself from the fact that I had just made a fool of myself. He might not have even been returning for me. Maybe he was just looking for Inuyasha. Or maybe he forgot something…

"You are needed." For a moment, I just blinked, willing myself to understand. His typical poker face was set in place however, and for the life of me I could not understand what he meant.

"Umm…for?" Sesshomaru NEEDED me? Him?! The only thing he had EVER asked me for was to take care of Rin, and even then it was more like he had just decided on his own that I would watch his ward, my opinion on the subject hadn't really mattered. I watched his eyebrow make just the smallest twitch. I couldn't help but feel a little smug. He was about to ask me something juicy, I just knew it.

"Rin has been…difficult to handle," he stopped there, just staring at me. I just raised my eyebrow at him, encouraging him to continue. He wasn't trying to suggest that he was having a hard time with Rin, was he? I had put up with her emotional rollercoaster all winter. It had only been five days for him!

Breaking eye contact, he crossed his arms and stared off at the treeline, refusing to elaborate. I could only stare dumbfounded.

"Did you seriously come all the way out here because Rin was being a brat?! What do you expect me to do about it?" I couldn't keep the amusement out of my voice. Was he asking for advice? That was kind of … cute.

"She refuses to listen… and it is getting out of hand." What in the world could she have done to force him to come all the way back here? Suddenly, I just had to know.

"Why not just bring her back than if she's bothering you so much?" Again, that little twitch of the eyebrow. It had always been a dead giveaway when he was annoyed.

"I did not say she was a bother." Well, apparently she wasn't exactly being a ray of sunshine either. Sighing, I turned away and started to head back to the village. The spring air was still chilly at this time of night, and I was desperate for a warm fire and a nice cup of tea.

I didn't bother to check and see if Sesshomaru would follow, his aura flickered enough to show his discontent before following after me. When we arrived, I instantly curled into the warm furred blanket that he had given to Rin years ago, she had long since left it here, needing it only for the cold months. I decided it was probably best to start that fire before I froze to death.

Sesshomaru took his usual place across the fire pit, his posture perfect as ever. In comparison, I felt like a slob in my slouched position and could barely stop my hands from shaking long enough to strike the flint.

Suddenly, the rocks were stolen from my grip, and with a quick swipe, a fire was blazing with barely any effort. If I weren't so grateful to wrap myself back in my fur, I would have glared at him for being so impatient. His smirk only made my belly burn with barely concealed irritation.

"So what did she do?" I finally asked, not able to hold back my curiosity. His teeth clicked as his expression darkened, his claws tapping against the his knee as he became lost in thought.

"I do not know…where to begin." Basically, she had done a lot. I could only groan, before putting the kettle on the fire, allowing the water to heat up.

"And what exactly did you need from me? Because my only advice is to take deep breaths, reword whatever you said to her, and roll with it." His sigh was heavy with exasperation, and for just a teeny tiny moment, I felt bad for him.

"She wouldn't stop crying yesterday until I promised to bring you to her." The silence after that statement was palpable. I wasn't sure how to even approach this one.

If there had always been one thing Sesshomaru had been proud of, it was how he cherished Rin. Most likely he had come here out of impatience, but I could tell the idea of not being enough was…hurting him.

"Do you remember when you had first brought Rin here with the intention of letting her stay for the winter?" I asked, suddenly feeling nostalgic. Shifting slightly, he turned to me, a wry expression in his eyes as he nodded.

"She was absolutely distraught at the idea of you leaving her all winter. Had begged and pleaded you not to go. That she would wear five kimonos if that was what it took to stay with you." I watched his golden eyes glaze over as he thought back to those days that were suddenly so long ago.

"Even after you had left, she had cried for days, and nothing I did could console her. I was so at a loss, I had even asked Inuyasha if he could go find you and bring you back." At this, his eye brow raised, never once hearing this part of the story. I had promised myself a long time ago I would take that admission to my grave. Guess I never was good at keeping secrets.

"Unfortunately, you had brought her rather late that winter, and we had that huge snowstorm. So there was no way he could have gone to find you even if I had begged. Every day got a little easier for her, and by the end of the storm, she didn't ask for you anymore. Don't get me wrong, she missed you, and any chance she could, she would stare at the gates in the hopes you would be there. All I could do was be patient and give her things to do to take her mind off of you."

It was odd, telling him this story. Wanting him to know that I knew, even just a little, how he felt.

"There will be times that I need to leave Rin with Ah-Un. I …worry she will ask him to bring her here if I am not there. She has become rather…" at this point he turned a pointed stare at me, and, without a doubt, I knew he was making fun of me, "willful."

I couldn't stop myself from chuckling. How many times had I snuck home on Kirara's back without anyone noticing because I had become homesick or needed to study for a test?

"Yeah. I guess I can see your point there. So what do you think we should do? Keep her here for another month and see if this…evens out?" Who knew parenting could be so difficult. Is this what divorce feels like? Trying to work around tender feelings and our hectic schedules?

"Come with us." I sat up with a jolt, unable to stop the shock from reflecting in my expression? Was he saying what I thought he was saying? Leave the village? Travel…with him?

"You know I can't do that Sesshomaru. I'm this village's priestess. There are people here who need me. I can't just leave." But I wanted to. I would give up my right arm if it meant that I could travel even just for one day.

"Do you truly believe this village would not last a few months without you?" His tone had my temper flaring. He acted as if I just sat around all day twiddling my thumbs.

"To be frank, yes. I'm their healer, it is me who makes their medicine, it is I who treats their ailments, and when the occasion calls for it, I'm the one who protects the village from demons that wander to close for comfort." It was the very excuse I told myself every day, my ball and chain. I would not leave this village for my own selfish reasons.

"There is no one else that can treat these ailments? No one else with knowledge of herbs? Priestess, you have a family of demon slayers that live in this village, can they not protect this village for a few months."

For a moment, I wanted to argue. There were plenty in the village that were knowledgeable of herbs, every child ever raised in the village had been taught lessons by Kikyo, Kaede, and I for over fifty years. The same went for common ailments. The stitches were a different story, however quite a few women in the village had proven to be quite proficient at it.

As for the demon slaying, Sango and Miroku were more than capable of handling it.

Still, I clenched my fur uneasily, the idea of leaving without notice seeming selfish and rude. Sesshomaru only rumbled quietly, his point made.

Lost in thought, I pulled out two cups and teabags, before gently pouring the heated water. Sesshomaru took his graciously, his eyes lighting up as the scent of green tea filled his senses. He never said a word about it, but I could tell he liked the tea bags I made. I bet he would howl to the moon if he got his hands on the ones from the future.

In silence, we took polite sips of the brew, our thoughts far away.

"Are you sure? I mean, wanting me to travel with you. If you think Rin is a handful, you should know I'm ten times worse. We can barely be around each other for five minutes without getting into some kind of argument. Do you really think its worth it?" I felt silly, trying to come up with ways to change his mind. I should be begging him to take me with him, to convince me to leave, to give me the permission I seemed to need.

"Priestess, are you trying to say that this Sesshomaru can not handle you?" I couldn't stop myself from scoffing, thrilled at seeing his playful side, but not able to stop my mouth.

"Were you not the one who just said a thirteen year old was hard to handle?" I almost felt nervous when he set his teacup down and stood up. When he approached me, his build towering over me, his demonic aura sparking in challenge, I couldn't help but narrow my eyes. I was not fifteen anymore. His games would not scare me into obedience.

With a confidence that came from years of honing my power, I matched his spark with my own, not even bothering to stand as my holy powers smacked into his. It wasn't enough to hurt, just enough to tell him I wouldn't falter to his arrogance. I watched as his eyes darkened, the look causing my tummy to twist in a way that made me nervous.

Not really as a priestess, I was confident that even if my power wasn't enough to phase him, at least my barrier would be enough to get him to back up. No, it was the way that look heated my blood, charmed me in a way only a man could do to a woman. It made me want to bare my teeth and hiss at him like an angry cat.

How dare he try to treat me like some floozy?! The thought only pissed me off more, and this time, I really did bare my teeth at him, daring him to continue his come hither stare. The look only seemed to amuse him, and like a true dog, he bared his fangs as if to prove his were bigger.

Throwing rational thought to the wind, I supped up my aura, baring down on him with everything I had, keeping in mind that I had no intention of harming him, but forcing him to acknowledge I wasn't backing down either. If anything, it only seemed to please him more, his demonic grin becoming wider, his teeth growing before my eyes. Speaking of eyes, his were starting to look a little red…

The hut seemed to crackle with tension, and for a moment, I realized that it had nothing to do with our auras clashing into each other. The tension felt more… sexual. Unable to wrap my mind around the shock, I drew my power back, my body seizing up as his demonic energy wrapped around me like a thick fog.

"Okay! I get it! Down boy." I wheezed, my body shaking with effort to not collapse on the floor from the sheer weight of his aura. I watched him blink, the action slow and lazy, before finally he drew his power back in, not looking the least bit ashamed at his apparent lapse of control. We had butted heads for years, but never had we tried throwing our power at each other.

What the hell had we been thinking? Refusing to look at him, I turned my head to the side, taking note that Artemis was hiding underneath the small table I had next to my bedding. It was as I had expected. Traveling with him would be a nightmare, we'd probably rip each others heads off. We had no business trying to raise Rin together. We were better off apart.

Clenching my fists, I ignored my longing for adventure, my desire for freedom. I would rather stay in my cozy cage and rot than be used as some chew toy for his amusement.

Sesshomaru seemed to notice the direction of his thoughts, because no sooner had they crossed my mind, he was sitting in front of me, forcing me to meet his eyes. They had returned to their regular golden hue, if only a tad more vibrant than usual.

"You…might be correct in your statement." His tone was dry, his pride probably burning at the idea of admitting that he was wrong about something.

"So what now? Do you want to leave Rin here for the summer? Take her for the winter instead?" She was older now after all. More adapt to the lower temperatures than she had been when she was younger. Sesshomaru only shook his head.

"I was only stating that you would prove to be hard to handle. This Sesshomaru said nothing about changing his mind on bringing you." I couldn't stop the heat in my cheeks from spreading even if I wanted to. He still wanted…even after what just happened?

"Uhh…did you not just notice the showdown we had there. Do you really think we should be around each other while trying to teach Rin how to be a good little human?" He only raised his eyebrow at my sarcasm, no doubt amused at my continued defiance.

"Priestess, if you are worried that I would cause you…harm, be aware I have no such intention." What the hell with the pause? What kind of intentions did he have than?

"You just said I was hard to handle…" did that not mean he'd lose his patience eventually? Even Inuyasha would sometimes blow his top, than again, he wasn't exactly a prime example of patience. Sesshomaru only seemed to look exasperated, obviously growing tired with this conversation.

"Are you truly unaware of the effect you have on me? Have I not made myself clear on multiple occasions?" Blinking, I looked down at my hands, suddenly realizing that I had dropped my blanket during our heated exchange, and that the chill was starting to crawl back under my skin. Groping behind me, I snatched up my furry warmth, sighing with relief when once more it was wrapped around me.

Looking back up at him, I noticed his golden orbs fixed on my blanket. With embarrassment, I realized I probably shouldn't be wearing something he had given his ward. But it was cold out, and my own blanket was too thin. I never bothered getting a better one with Rin's fur for comfort.

Honestly, I wasn't sure how to take his statement. Wasn't even sure what he had meant by it. I was probably just misunderstanding every thing after all. I was human. I wasn't exactly on his list of desired females, if that was even what he was getting at. There was no way in hell he meant I caused anything in him other than exasperation and obligation to deal with me because of Rin.

I watched as he continued to stare at my blanket, his gaze rising to meet mine, before slowly bringing his attention back to my cozy warmth. I could feel my cheeks heating up, knowing whatever he was about to say would probably be condescending in some way, but refusing to stop clenching the silky white fur.

"This Sesshomaru wishes for you to travel with him. You have my promise that I will not harm you, and if we…disagree, you have my promise that I will submit to your requests if they are…within reason." I felt a lump build in my throat, the meaning behind his words hitting me like a ton of bricks.

He was willing to … back away from his pride…for me. Frantically, I scratched out the thought. For Rin! He's doing it for her. He just thinks that if I keep Rin in check, he will have his little girl back. This has nothing to do with you! Still…the sentiment was sweet.

Shyly, I looked back up at him, tilting my head in consideration. His gaze looked like hot lava, his eyes seemingly focused to my right. Looking over, I watched with strange fascination as my long black locks seemed to tangle in the white silky fur. I hesitantly looked back at him, unsure why he seemed to think it was so distracting.

I guess if I thought about it, his mokomoko was oddly the same color. It even looked like the same texture… I suddenly felt mortified. He had given Rin fur. HIS FUR! And …oh god… I was wearing it. I wasn't sure at that point what to do. Drop it like it burned me? Give it back? Pretend I had absolutely no idea where it came from?

"Umm…" my throat felt so dry, my face had to be beet red. What must he think of me, sitting here rubbing myself in his fur like … like some … gods I don't even have words for it! At the sound of my voice, I watched his eyes finally trail back to my face, red tinging the golden irises. Suddenly, I wished Rin was here. Or Inuyasha. Or hell even Myoga. Anybody would do at this point, if it meant breaking this awkwardness.

He's mad. He's really really mad. You, Kagome Higurashi, are an idiot. Slowly, trying to keep my movements as steady as possible, I removed my furry blanket, my heart breaking a little at the idea of parting with it. It still had Rin's scent in it, along with the usual cardamom muskiness I had come to associate with it. Biting my lip, I held it up for him, offering it for him to take.

For a moment, he only stared, the only movement he made was his hands turning into tight fists in his lap. Not wanting to see anymore of his reactions, I hid my eyes behind my bangs, staring blankly at my tatami flooring.

Soon, I heard him stand, his footsteps so quiet, I barely noticed that he had walked right in front of me. The fluffy silken fur was snatched from my grip and I flinched, suddenly wishing I had chosen to storm out to Sango's hut when I had the chance. I gasped in unexpected delight when the fur was once more wrapped around my shoulders, before my hair was pulled out from underneath.

I felt the briefest of caresses against my hair, as if he was testing for himself how it felt against his skin, before his touch was gone, and once more he was sitting in front of me, his eyes guarded and his posture stiff.

If he hadn't made himself clear earlier, his forward action definitely put it into perspective now.

Sesshomaru saw me…as a woman. A woman he liked seeing in his furs. A woman he wanted traveling with him, and raising his child with him. Judging by the look on his face, he had just put all his cards on the table, and he was waiting to see what I would do with mine.

Quite frankly, I wanted to run away screaming. Instead, I sat there, trying to figure out where any of this was coming from. Never once had he suggested that he… I mean there had been looks, but I always figured that I was probably just imagining things. We had always argued, whether about Rin, or random subjects in general.

And there was the fact that every time he came to bring Rin or pick her up, he'd bring some amazing hunt back with him, like that deer from a few days ago. But that was for Rin…to make her feel better about being left for the winter…wasn't it?

"I…um…think maybe I'm like…misunderstanding something." Yup, I am definitely an idiot. If anything, his posture stiffened more, and his eyes became hard as ice.

"That would be?" There was no way I was gonna say it. No way I was going to say something as ridiculous as Sesshomaru wanting me as…well I don't even know. Maybe I really was misunderstanding the whole thing. Maybe he just saw me as Rin's mother, and wanted to give me nice things? That was a perfectly logical explanation. A safe one.

"You know what. Never mind. I'm just being silly thinking… anyways, I'll talk to Sango and Miroku in the morning. If it is just till fall, I think the village will be okay. So ummm… can I give you an answer about Rin tomorrow?" Deny, deny, deny. Hadn't Inuyasha and I played that game for years? Surely I could get out of whatever this was for one more day?

Sesshomaru's eyes flashed for a moment, his expression taking a look of what almost seemed like…disappointment? Before finally he nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly before he stood up and quietly walked out.

With trembling legs, I stumbled over to my bedding and crawled on it, still clutching onto Rin's fur blanket like it was a lifeline. It seemed like a foolish idea to go anywhere with Sesshomaru at this point. He was obviously having strange ideas … and apparently so was I. What if I had opened my big mouth and he had laughed? Told me I was delusional to think he would want anything from me other than my services to his ward?

I had already hurt myself once with Inuyasha. Thinking he felt something for me when in reality, I had created a fantasy in my head that wasn't even real. No, opening my heart to his brother of all people would be the stupidest thing I had ever done. That was like asking for mockery. That chapter was closed. I was happy as a priestess. I didn't NEED to be with a man.

Plus, even if Sesshomaru WAS interested in me in THAT way, he'd never love me. I'd just be some passing flavor of the month. Maybe he had a thing for priestesses. Maybe he had a thing for Kikyo too, and I just looked like her. She had been a powerful woman after all. And he was power hungry.

I didn't realize I was still trembling until Artemis crawled on top of me, his paws gently trying to find his footing on my chest. Curling into a ball, I clutched him to me, trying to will away my tears of loneliness. Who needed dogs when you had a cat like Artemis anyways?

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Wooooaaaahhhh this chapter was long. I just couldn't seem to stop. In fact, I was gonna keep on going till I realized it was 1:40 in the morning. Today was a particularly rough day. I recieved Artemis's ashes today. His urn is wooden with beautiful flowers carved in it. They even made a paw imprint in clay for me to keep. Lets just say I ugly cried in my car again. Losing him has been incredibly hard, and though some may think he was just a cat, he was family, and it has been tough to realize he is gone. I decided no matter what, I needed to get this chapter out, to have him pop up in everyone's world again, because, well, his mommy misses him like crazy.

Anyways, enough sobbing here. Like Solace, you will notice Kagome seems to have this nasty tendency of doubting her feminine appeal as a woman. Personally, I think this has more to do with my own body image than hers, but it's easy to take those feelings I had when I was younger, and manipulate them into her story. So sorry Sesshomaru, if you wanna bag the girl, your just gonna have to work for it! No crazy contract this time around!

 **Please make sure to follow, favorite AND REVIEW!**


	3. Taking a Chance

OMG 12 reviews and I'm now up to 50 follows at chapter 2? This story might just have a chance at catching up with Solace of the West! Not going to lie, this story is very fun to write, and I honestly don't give a damn about plotline or taking it slow. Let me have my fantasies lol! Hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing!

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 **Chapter 3: Taking a Chance**

How do you sleep when you are given a decision that could change life as you know it? Sunlight was filtering through my window, yet I was no closer to a decision than when I went to bed last night. My head was pounding, my body felt exhausted, and my eyes felt dry and itchy.

Needless to say, I felt like crap.

What the hell was Sesshomaru thinking? Me? Traveling with him? Was he nuts? Did he not see how wrong this could go? What if we made each other so mad that we couldn't stand each other? Plus, what about how he had been acting last night?

Any other woman would have seen those as definite flirting signals. But did the Lord of the western lands even flirt? And with a human woman. A human priestess no less?! Wasn't that like, a big no no in demon society? Hell in human society that would practically be devil worship.

So what did last night mean? How was I supposed to focus on Rin when I was too busy trying to figure out what was going on in that brain of his? Sesshomaru was too smart not to know how I would take his behavior right? Should I tell him to back off? Or maybe…ask him what he meant by it?

The questions just seemed to keep going round and round in my head. I should have been worried about leaving the village for months, but somehow, that was the last thing on my mind. I could feel Artemis snuggled in-between my knees, the position awkward despite his furry ball of warmth.

Knowing that laying in bed would not solve any of my questions, I slowly got up, clutching my furry blanket to keep away the chill of the morning. I couldn't seem to stop my fingers from stroking through the warm silky strands, now realizing its origins.

This fur…belonged to Sesshomaru. I couldn't help but wonder who had been brave enough to skin it off of him. Totosai? That was the only person that seemed to come to mind. I had always thought it had come from some animal, a wolf maybe. I should have known that wasn't the case.

This fur seemed far too fluffy, too fine to be of the makings of a dirty wolf. I felt ridiculous for never realizing it. Rin had never said anything so I had just assumed…

I went about my morning routine of washing my face, swishing water that had mint leaves soaking in it, and then got to work on my hair. Gone were the days of shampoo and conditioner. I did the best I could to keep it clean and healthy, adding scented oils of my own making, but it wasn't the same.

I had to be seriously crazy thinking Sesshomaru was flirting with me. I mean, wouldn't he prefer a pretty demoness who did not have to go to such efforts to preserve her youthful appearance? The thought made me chuckle. I had obviously been over thinking everything.

Deciding to close that chapter, I took a deep breath in to relax myself, before venturing out of the safety of me hut. Walking towards Sango and Miroku's abode, it was easy to fall into the typical pattern of my day.

Men and women were already working in the field, cows were being milked, chicken eggs were being gathered. Everyone had a job, even the children. If this village had hopes of surviving, there could be no one taking more than their fair share.

Every winter was rough, every person that we lost to sickness or other disasters was irreplaceable. Spring was spent planting the fields. Summer and fall was typhoon season, which put the village in dire straights every year as around the same time was harvesting time. Demons were a problem all year long.

Living in the feudal era was hard. Plain and simple. It felt almost ridiculous to ask for a vacation. People were always sick. Always getting hurt. Always needed me. Leaving them felt as if I was abandoning them to fate.

But it wasn't like I was exactly going on a vacation, right? I was going because Rin needed me. Or maybe it was Sesshomaru that needed me? And who says I couldn't use it as a way to learn. We were bound to see all sorts of herbs and plants I had never seen before. Surely I could take that knowledge home with me.

With that thought, I stepped into Sango's hut, only to nearly fall out of it when I saw Sesshomaru was already there. Finding my bearing, I took a deep breath in before quietly coming in and taking my seat next to Sango.

"Good morning Kagome! Sesshomaru was just telling us about you possibly traveling with him." From the mischievous sparkle in her eye, I knew she had already made her own assumptions of where exactly this was going.

Looking to Miroku provided no relief from her good humor, as he only hid his knowing smile behind his cup of tea, preferring to take on a calm persona. It was nice to know that my friends got a good laugh out of this whole situation.

Glaring at the demon lord, I made sure to convey just how I felt about him approaching the subject with my friends before I had gotten a chance to. He only raised an eye brow at me before his eyes trailed down to the spot next to me.

Looking down at Artemis, who seemed to have a knack for following me everywhere I went, I couldn't help but smirk back at him. I couldn't help but wonder if he was in his dog form, if he would start chasing the cat while barking his foolish head off.

It's the little things in life I guess.

"Well, its not like I can just make a big decision like that. I mean the village…"

"Will be fine." Miroku and Sango said this at the same time, their faces completely serious. I could only stare in surprise.

"Kagome…it isn't like the village doesn't need you. It does! But we also understand that the reason why you decided to stay wasn't quite how it turned out. You deserve to get away for a little while. Miroku and I can handle the village." Miroku nodded in agreement.

"Lady Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru has made it very clear that you will be well cared for while you are gone. He has even offered to take you to visit Shippo and has made a … generous donation to the village to compensate your time away."

Turning wide eyes to Sesshomaru, he said nothing, only continued to stare. Something told me not to ask what exactly this "donation" consisted of. The idea of seeing Shippo though however, was an exciting one. He had played his cards right and he knew it.

"So… I guess that…settles it?" I couldn't help but feel like somehow I didn't get a say in this. I had spent all night freaking out about it, but here I was, quiet as a mouse. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sango pinch Miroku's foot.

Making a pained expression, her husband stood up and asked Sesshomaru to discuss some things more in detail. When the two of them were out of hearing distance, Sango was on me in a heart beat.

"So are you going to tell me what happened or am I going to have to beat the details out of you?" I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes. With friends like her who needed enemies?

"Well you heard from Sesshomaru. Rin needs me so he wants me to travel with him." Sango gave me a disbelieving look.

"Something tells me that this has nothing to do with Rin. Do you really expect me to believe that Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western lands, the killing perfection, can't handle his own child? Try again." I couldn't help but wonder about that as well.

I mean, it had only been less than a week since they had left. It seemed a bit early for Sesshomaru to be calling it quits and asking me (because begging was not in his vocabulary) to travel with them. Couldn't he have just left Rin here till she grew out of her "phase"?

"He was…strange…last night." I finally admitted, not sure if I should even admit such a thing out loud. Sango was like a dog with a bone, her eyes lighting up at the possibility of juicy gossip. Not much happened in a village like ours. Honestly, if she didn't have tots weighing her down, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that she would have joined Kohaku in his demon slaying endeavor.

"How so?" I couldn't stop myself from fidgeting, my cheeks feeling on fire as I told her about the night before, how we had thrown our power at each other, the fur, how he asked if I knew what effect I had on him. Sango was practically wiggling with excitement when I was done.

"So what's the problem? He basically said he likes you right?" I couldn't stop my sigh. Hadn't I been thinking that very thought?

"But what if I'm just reading it wrong? I mean, hasn't he made it clear what he thinks about humans?" My friend only sighed, her hand gripping mine as if to give encouragement.

"Kagome, I know you don't have the best …history with dog demons, but believe it or not, you are a catch. There are guys out there that would fall all over themselves to get you to look their way. Sometimes, when they are giving you the hint that they like you, they mean it. Sesshomaru isn't a pup anymore. He doesn't need to play mind games the way Inuyasha did. If he is giving you signals, you should take them seriously. Doubting that they are real is only going to insult him."

She let me brew that one over as she stood up to go check on her youngest who was still dead to the world despite all the noise.

Maybe I was being a little…self conscious. I mean, after everything that happened with Inuyasha, I had shut the door on love, or any possibility of it. Sure, I had always been aware of Sesshomaru as a man, but never had I considered him as anything more than Inuyasha's brother and Rin's well… dad I guess?

So what do I do with the knowledge that maybe what he had insinuated yesterday was in fact a romantic interest in me, or at least a physical one. Do demons even fall in love? Shippo always seemed fond of women, having more crushes than I had fingers and toes.

But he is a fox…and well… aren't foxes supposed to be like that? Hadn't Rin always seemed to say that Sesshomaru had a bigger heart than he let on. Maybe I should trust her on that. And what? Acknowledge his feelings? For me? So where did that leave us. Did I even WANT to be with him that way? I mean, before yesterday, I never even suspected he thought of me as anything more than a glorified babysitter.

Maybe he was having a midlife crisis. Thinking he wanted things that he didn't actually need. I mean, sure he didn't LOOK that old, but neither did Inuyasha and he was 200 something.

"Stop it." Looking at Sango with wide eyes, I watched her stern expression.

"It doesn't take a genius to know where your mind is going. Stop convincing yourself that there is nothing there. How many times had Miroku and I said there was something between you guys. You owe Inuyasha nothing. You've already wasted the last five years suffering alone. I won't let you suffer another minute."

Biting my lip, my gaze shifted to the floor, my stomach twisting into a nervous knot.

"If you are that scared of the idea of Sesshomaru liking you, march out of this hut and tell him you don't want to go with him. Tell him you don't feel the same, and anything between you two will never happen. Go on. What are you waiting for?!"

Blinking back tears, I clenched my hands into fists.

"What would you know! Miroku always made it clear that he liked you! You always knew where you stood. How can you just expect me to ask something like that to Sesshomaru! No one ever stomped on your heart like Inuyasha did. No one ever put you in second place! NO ONE EVER TOLD YOU THAT YOU WEREN'T GOOD ENOUGH."

And there it was. All my insecurities yelled out for the world to hear. I wanted to take it back. Hide it all in my carefully crafted nest in my mind. Of course I knew things hadn't been chocolates and roses between Sango and Miroku.

His hand had wandered nearly as much as his eyes. If anyone should have the insecurity issue, it should be Sango, yet here I was, being selfish. When they had promised themselves to each other though, Miroku had stopped all of his bad habits.

Instead of getting angry, Sango wrapped her arms around me and pulled my body into her embrace.

"I know Kagome. I know he hurt you and he knows how much of an ass he was for that. But not every guy is cut from the same cloth. If you never give them a chance, you'll never know, right? After everything with Inuyasha, would you still wish you had never met him. Never met us?"

Sobbing, I shook my head, knowing in my heart that I wouldn't have given up this friendship for anything. Not even for a chance to go home.

"Than give Sesshomaru a chance. It's not like he's offering marriage or anything permanent. He just wants you to give him a few months. He's honorable Kagome, we made him promise he wouldn't lay a hand on you without your explicit permission. If nothing comes from it, you can just come back here and pretend nothing happened okay."

A tiny part of me wanted to shake my head, to stay here and just go with the flow. I didn't have a bad life here, at least no one ever hurt me either. I didn't put my heart out on the line by being a village priestess. Going with Sesshomaru could be like walking into a disaster. What if I ruined everything? What if I lost my winters with Rin? What if he broke my heart worse than Inuyasha ever could?

If this had just been about traveling for Rin, I wouldn't hesitate as much. I would just act like I always had. But Sesshomaru was making it clear he wanted more than me being a mother to his ward. He wanted to see me as a woman. and me to see him as a man. I honestly wasn't sure if I was ready for that.

But what if Sango was right. What if I gave Sesshomaru a chance and it wasn't that bad? Never once since I started watching Rin had Sesshomaru ever been cruel to me. If anything, he was a lot nicer to me than anyone else.

Sure we had our arguments but they had always been with the best intentions in mind. He never called me names, or told me that he could find someone easier to work with, or better.

When I started teaching Rin how to read and write, he didn't get arrogant. Didn't tell me to stop, only asked if I could make homework for her to do while she traveled with him. He didn't make fun of me for knowing things that women in this era shouldn't know like some men did. In fact, sometimes when he arrived too early and Rin was still asleep, we would challenge each other with math questions to pass the time.

So why was I worried. Did I really think that Sesshomaru was going to suddenly become a different person just because he implied that he liked me? Without noticing, my tears had stopped, and Sango was gently brushing my hair.

"Umm… Sango, I know you probably don't want to be bothered but I kind of have a situation out here!" Miroku sounded nervous, and with a sigh Sango stood up and left me to my thoughts. A moment later she was back in, looking particularly irritated.

"What part of wait till she's ready doesn't he understand?" she grumbled as she sat back down with me. I couldn't stop the smiled from appearing on my face. Apparently Sesshomaru was getting impatient. Figures nothing phased my demon slayer friend. Knowing her, she probably told him where to shove it till I was good and ready.

Giving her a long hug, I whispered a thank you before standing up and giving a quick kiss to Sango's youngest, Kaito, who was still in the happy land of dreams. The kid sure could sleep.

Rubbing my eyes and brushing my fingers quickly through my hair, I took a deep, calming breath before walking out of the safety of her hut. Sesshomaru was standing outside glaring at Miroku, who seemed about ready to drag me out himself if he faced the demon lord for a moment longer.

Gently, I tugged on his haori, causing the retired monk to turn around. Giving him a hug, I thanked him and made him promise to take good care of Sango while I was gone. He only chuckled and returned my embrace.

"Make sure to come back in the winter, Sango only wants you delivering her child after all." For a moment I stood there with wide eyes, before looking over at Sango who stood happily in the doorway.

"You're pregnant?!" Wasn't three enough?! She only laughed and nodded, her hands caressing her still flat stomach lovingly. Instantly, I was hugging her again with promises that I would definitely be back early winter. After all, I had delivered all three of her children. I wasn't gonna miss out on the fourth!

"Priestess, if you do not hurry we will not be able to leave until noon." Sighing at his barely contained patience, I nodded before walking back to my hut. It only took a moment for me to gather my essentials.

Hair brush. Pot. Bathing necessities. Flint (there was no way in hell I was rubbing two sticks together!), my bow, a quiver full of arrows, and a change of clothes. Putting my bag on my back, I picked up Artemis with the tiniest of smirks.

"The cat isn't coming." I tilted my head, daring him to argue. The cat was coming. Take it or leave it bud. His glare could have melted a mountain. I stood strong, not allowing my decision to be swayed.

Turning with barely concealed irritation, he walked over to my bedding and grabbed Rin's fur blanket before walking back over to me. For just a moment, I was confused, until he wrapped the warm fur around my shoulders, my body barely able to conceal a shiver from the delicious warmth it caused.

Looking into his eyes, I couldn't help but blush at the heat I saw there. He had heard my argument with Sango. Of that I was sure. He knew how I had felt about leaving with him, knew what my feelings had been. Yet despite that, I still decided to go with him. He was pleased, and saw this as his chance to make his feelings known.

My blush deepening, I grabbed the fur and pulled it tightly around me, never once taking my eyes off of his. If I had any doubt of how he felt about me, it was gone when his eyes darkened in what could only be described as pride and desire.

His hand found its way in my hair, and slowly pulled it out from under the thick fur, a growl vibrating deep in his chest. He was very pleased indeed. Biting my lip nervously, I took a step toward him, not quite sure what I was doing but knowing that I liked the noise he was making, and was hoping he made more of it.

His arms were around me in a flash, his nose in my hair as clawed fingers dug into my tresses.

"We are leaving." That was the only cue I got as I held tightly to Artemis, the world suddenly bright white and flashing by me quickly. We were outside the village by a few kilometers faster than I could think.

It took a few moments to realize we weren't moving anymore, and that the noise I was hearing wasn't from the wind, but from his chest. Relaxing into it, I listened to what could only be considered purring. And it sure as hell wasn't coming from my cat.

"You decided to travel with this Sesshomaru," his voice was deep, almost playful, his arms still holding me close despite the fact we were no longer in his ball of light.

Looking up at him, I took in his gold eyes, the magenta markings that graced high cheek bones, the crescent moon that was almost hidden underneath his silver bangs. The idea of any woman turning him down seemed down right preposterous. Yet still I had my doubts. Someone like him had to be a heart breaker.

Not exactly what I was looking for. Yet Sango was right. I couldn't hole myself in the village for the rest of my life. I had to give a chance if one was worth taking. And well…Sesshomaru was definitely worth at least a chance.

"Don't get too cocky mister. It's only for a few months." He only made a humming noise before turning around and walking off in the direction of the west. I couldn't help but watch him walk away for a moment, before following him.

We met up with Rin, Ah-Un and Jaken in a flower filled clearing. Rin was hard at work in decorating her dragon steed in an assortment of colors as Jaken squawked at her to discontinue her foolishness.

The moment she caught sight of us, or at least of me, she shouted with glee before racing over to me. My arms were around her in a heartbeat, my nose in her hair to breath in her familiar scent as I held her to me.

It had only been 6 days, but I had missed her as if she had been gone years. For just a second, I glanced at Sesshomaru, took in his pleased look at my reaction, before focusing back on Rin. She was talking a mile a minute, excited at my arrival, how she couldn't believe Lord Sesshomaru had actually went and got me. I could only laugh and tell her it didn't take much convincing.

It was true, for Rin, I would have come as long as I knew the village would be okay without me. The part that took convincing is traveling together with Sesshomaru while knowing that his thoughts were a little overly friendly.

Still, I couldn't find it in myself to regret the decision after seeing Rin again, having her in my arms, her cheerful voice in my ears. She had practically sobbed with joy at the sight of her feline companion, hugging him tight before running over to Sesshomaru and hugging at his hip.

We didn't stay in the clearing long enough to get comfortable.

Apparently Sesshomaru had places to be, which had probably gotten behind schedule since having to come out and get me. Rin got on Ah-Un without a fuss, but as I stared at the two headed dragon, I was suddenly reminded that this wouldn't be like before.

I had always traveled with Kirara or Inuyasha. This was different. Anxiously, I looked at the demons and gently asked for permission to ride. The one named Ah tilted his head at me, as if surprised I had taken the time to ask. Uh just impatiently pointed his snout to his back, as if telling me to hurry up.

Warmth against my back had me looking behind me, noting as Sesshomaru took my hand to keep me steady as I put one foot in the stirrup, before pushing myself up over the giant beast. Rin sat in front of me, taking hold of the reins as Jaken sat in the back mumbling how he always seemed to be stuck with the humans.

It was kind of nice that we didn't have to constantly walk, and Rin kept the conversation going despite my unexpected arrival. I honestly wasn't sure how Jaken felt about it, but decided I didn't particularly care either way.

Sesshomaru silently walked in the front, always attentive, no doubt knowing everything that was going on in the area. It was surprising how he would suddenly change our course, usually when I could sense a demonic presence. I had always thought Sesshomaru to be the type to destroy anything in his path.

He apparently enjoyed the more quiet route, and if such things could be avoided, than they would be. It was such a large difference compared to when Inuyasha would lead us. Every day had been exhausting.

After a few hours of riding however, my thighs became sore, and I felt an explicit need to walk it off. So without thought, I hopped off and walked at Rin's side, since it didn't seem like we would be flying anytime soon. I practically had to jog to keep up though, however after a few minutes, I noticed we had slowed down.

Looking at Sesshomaru, I couldn't help but think it was his doing. Unsure, I walked up to him, waiting to see if he would say anything.

"Am I slowing you guys down?" I finally asked, unable to take the quiet. I would get back on Ah-Un if that was the case. I hadn't really considered that he would slow down to compensate for me.

"This pace is acceptable." Grinning, I took that as the okay to relax. To be honest, this was nice. This feeling of safety and knowledge that the only real job I had was to help him with Rin and her sometimes unpredictable mood swings.

Before, there had always been the jewel being held over my head. Inuyasha had been impatient, practically running us ragged if only to get to some rumored location that much sooner.

Plus, everyone had an agenda. Sango wanted to avenge her clan. Miroku had a wind tunnel that could swallow him whole if he did not destroy Naraku. Inuyasha wanted the jewel shards… and to avenge Kikyo.

Now, there was no tension. No timeline. No will we make it to see tomorrow. I felt like I was seeing the feudal era for the first time, being able to leisurely enjoy my travels without anyone yelling at me to hurry it up.

Rin soon joined me, her hand swinging in mine as she showed me all her favorite flowers and trees.

"There is a big lake up ahead! Do you want to go take a bath?" I couldn't help but feel a little excited. A bath sounded amazing. The sun was still up though. Wouldn't Sesshomaru want to travel till dark?

"Rin, wait until we get there before running off." His meaning was clear. We would be stopping for the night. To be honest, it wasn't until that moment that I caught on to his meaning that Rin was becoming a little hard to deal with, as she jumped on Ah-Un and encouraged him to run off without us.

"Race you!" Well…that had been unexpected. Looking at Sesshomaru, who didn't look entirely pleased by her disobedience, I couldn't help but laugh.

"So are we going to race her or what?" I didn't have to tell him twice. The next thing I knew, I was in his arms and the world was flying by us again. I couldn't stop my laughter as we flew by her, the sound getting lost in the wind.

When he stopped, we were in front of a large lake, my legs practically wrapped around his waist and my arms around his neck. Still, despite the situation, I couldn't stop laughing, finding myself burying my face in his neck in my attempt to make it stop.

"Having fun priestess?" I could only nod, still giggling. A sharp nip to my neck had me yelping before turning to glare at him. His eyes were sparkling with amusement. Narrowing my eyes further, I nipped his chin, feeling as if he had definitely deserved it. His teeth were way sharper than mine after all!

A soft rumbling in his chest had me tightening my thighs around his waist, and soon I had my back against a tree, and his teeth leaving sharp stinging nips up my neck. To be honest, I probably should have told him to back off. That I hadn't meant anything behind biting him other than being playful.

But for some odd reason, my voice seemed to have forgotten how to work, and I could only tilt my head to the side, allowing him further access.

This only seemed to please him further, because soon hot lips were joining the bite of his teeth, and I found my voice just enough to make noises I had never heard before.

Shuffling in the trees had us breaking apart, and with a flushing face, I greeted Rin who was pouting over her loss. Sesshomaru didn't look angry with her at all despite her taking off after he specifically told her not to. Instead, he gently put his palm on her head and told her better luck next time.

He looked like a dog who had found a big, juicy steak. Feeling throbbing sensation of my neck, I couldn't help but think I was the steak…

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Yeahhhhh I know I should probably take it slow and let them get to know each other, and believe me, I'm sure that will happen, but somehow I just don't see Sesshomaru as the kind of guy to take a girl out to wine and dine her. They know each other. Lets brush past the boring bits and get to the nitty gritty! Okay yes it's not all about sex but dang it I want sexy goo goo eyes going on here lol! Okay I'll stop. Wondering when Rin should be informed that daddy's got some intentions for her mom. Ideas? Please be sure to follow, favorite, AND REVIEW!


	4. The Sands of Time

Thank you everyone for your reviews, favorites and follows! They were highly appreciated! A lot of people commented on how they wanted some teasing Artemis/Fluffy action, and I promise that even though you won't see it this chapter, that it IS coming. I actually had planned this chapter way different, but as always, my fingers seem to have a mind of their own. I hope you all enjoy this chapter! And no worries, Solace is coming next!

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 **Chapter 4: The Sands of Time**

There was something so refreshing about taking a bath. Or at least, it would have been refreshing, if a certain someone would just learn when he's not wanted.

"Jaken, seriously, leave." Honestly, I thought my growl was very formidable. It seemed to have no effect on the stubborn imp however, as he stood watch on his perch of a decent sized rock. Honestly, I wouldn't have cared about his presence if not for him staring… very intensely.

"Wretched human. Don't belittle me with thinking that I want to stare at your disgusting fat flesh. Lord Sesshomaru has commanded I, Lord Jaken, to see to it that you and Rin are well guarded while you …ACK!"

For a moment, there was a large splash, Jaken kicking wildly in the water before he slowly realized where he fell had not been that deep. Purring happily in the place the imp had stood was Artemis, lazily cleaning his fur of the water droplets that found their way onto him. I knew that cat was going to come in handy.

"You…YOU WRETCHED FELINE!" Sighing in relief that finally my breasts were no longer being obnoxiously ogled at, I wadded over to Rin to assist the girl in a much needed hair washing. To be honest, we hadn't bathed too much together over the years. At least, not in a large body of water.

Winters here could be unbearable at best, and the idea of a full on bath was a luxury that could not be afforded. The water was still cold even in the spring, but the harsh bite was adaptable…or at least that was what I was trying to tell myself.

Rin was shivering, her arms clutched around her developing breasts, completely miserable. I quickly got to work rubbing my herbal concoction into her hair, letting it sit as I began lathering my homemade soap onto her body.

Glancing to my right, I saw the little green toad continue to gawk, taking in my now exposed backside and breasts. I could feel my spark of power coming to life, misting around me in warning.

"Turn around now or I'll personally remove your eyes imp." Why did Sesshomaru seriously keep him around? Sure, I doubt he'd have much worries about him staring at Rin, she had been a child until recently, but there was no way in hell I was dealing with him ogling us. Like seriously, have some damn manners!

"Jaken, leave." His presence hit me like a maelstrom, one moment he was gone and the next he was there. I couldn't help but grab Rin and pull her to me, my cheeks flushing as I tried to will my body deeper into the cold water.

Peaking at him, I took in the boar he dropped on Jaken. Despite what felt like his sudden interest in me, Sesshomaru didn't look my way, seeming perfectly happy to take a seat behind a large tree and relax.

Hesitantly, I began to relax, and went back to cleaning every nook and cranny I could find on the shivering teenager. I took in how long and skinny she was, her body in that awkward in-between state of growth spurts and trying to gain enough weight to fill out. A little fat on her bones would do her good.

"Alright Rin, you're clean." Not a second later, she was dashing to where a fluffy cloth hung on the tree, her teeth chattering loudly as she tried to dry her hair and her body at the same time. The girl barely took enough time to properly tie her kimono before she was running back to camp, where a roaring fire was surely waiting for her.

For a moment, I was unsure what to do. Sesshomaru made no move to remove himself from his spot, and honestly, I desperately wanted to take my time and bathe. Finding my nerve, I leaned back into the water, ignoring my painfully pruning fingers, and began washing the grit out of my hair.

There was a subtle shift in the air around me, as if the forest sensed Sesshomaru's presence, and seemed to back off the safety of their homes. It was … nice. Quiet. I couldn't remember the last time I had been able to bathe without feeling stared at. After all, privacy was a luxury in these hard times.

"She is getting tall." His voice had me whipping my head in his direction, my arms crossed in front of my chest to protect my dignity. Still he sat there, facing toward the forest. Settling down once more, I thought over his question.

"Yeah… it was like one day she woke up and bam. I felt like she was just this tiny thing for the longest time. Pretty soon she'll probably be taller than me." The awkward silence came back, and with a shrug, I went back to rubbing my hair with my makeshift shampoo.

"She is very thin. Did she not eat?" I couldn't stop my eyebrow from ticking at that particular topic. He knew damn well I made sure she ate, at least as much as one could when rationing during the winter months.

"She's growing Sesshomaru. She'll fill out soon enough." Then again, hadn't I just been thinking the same thing? My skin was starting to grown numb from the cold, my thighs becoming itchy and unbearable, still I ignored it, rubbing in the salted soap I had made.

After that was washed off, I went one step further, rubbing scented oils into my hair and body, enjoying the sweetness of it. It was a pain to make, but oh so worth it. Finding a dry spot on a large rock to sit on and curling myself in a dry towel, I got to work on the final part of my routine.

Razors were a thing of the past, or in my case, the future. Sharpened knives and a steady hand were the way to go if you wanted to have that cozy silky smooth feeling. Ignoring the fact that Sesshomaru was sitting only a few few away, I began to set out my materials.

It had taken some trial and error, but I was finally getting the hang of making my own shaving cream. A mixture of oils, my soap, and a bit of honey went a long way. Getting to work, I bit my lip as I tried to focus on the task at hand.

"Do humans always take such a ridiculous amount of time to bathe." Barely avoiding cutting myself, I glared at his tree, irritated at his untimely interruption.

"If you have better places to be than please, don't let me hold you up." I snapped, my cheeks flushing at having commentary during such a … private time for myself. Focusing once more, I began to tedious process of shaving the darkened hair from my armpits and legs.

To be honest, I hadn't felt the need to do something this mundane in a while. We lived in a time where it wasn't common for women to go out of their way for such a thing. If I had the privacy and the high pain tolerance, I would just wax it off. At the moment though, that didn't sound like a viable option.

Why I was even doing this did indeed seem ridiculous. It wasn't like I was expecting anything…right? I mean sure, Sesshomaru had made a pretty straight forward impression earlier. I had no doubt there was bruised flesh on my neck to prove it. That didn't mean I was just going to hop into the sack with him though.

Plus, he was a dog demon. What if he liked the furry leg thing? The thought brought the tiniest of smirks to my face. Perhaps it was a confidence thing. If I was going to play this game of fire with him, I wanted to be at my best.

Which meant this girl wanted baby smooth skin.

The brush of something furry against my wet back had me jumping from surprise. I couldn't stop a hiss of pain through clenched teeth as a long thin scratch appeared on my ankle, bright small bubbles of blood appearing. Shooting a glare at Artemis, I didn't notice another presence until my foot was grabbed and pulled upward.

Yelping, I stared at Sesshomaru, my mouth agape as he bent over my ankle, his nose twitching at the scent on my blood. A swipe of his tongue had the wound wiped clean, and oddly, the scratch seemed to clot instantly.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" I screeched, trying to pull my foot away but stopped as his other hand gripped my thigh, holding me in place. I tried not to think of the breeze that was finding its way under my suddenly too thin towel, or how the fingers around my ankle seemed to dance against my smooth skin.

"Priestess, it is I who should be asking you that question." I could feel my cheeks burn bright red, the sensation creeping down my neck and into my breasts. I could feel his stare, no longer focused on my ankle, instead fascinated by the splashes of color making its way down my body.

"Do you mind?" I growled, crossing my arms over my chest, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. He only raised an eyebrow, before picking up the shaving knife I had dropped. With wide eyes, I watched as he dipped it into the water, before flicking away the moisture.

With a steady hand that had probably killed millions, he began gliding the knife down my leg from knee to ankle. I could only seem to stare in a daze, every swipe clean and efficient, every time he dipped the knife in the water and flicked it had an almost meticulous feel to it.

I didn't even think when he eventually switched legs, rubbing my shaving mixture with warm hands, his claws tracing my legs in a way that made my stomach clench, before once more getting to work in making my legs silky smooth. I had never had a man shave me before. In fact, I had never had another person shave me. It was a …intriguing experience. Even as Artemis continued his prowling against my back, I couldn't help but relax at the sensation of being…spoiled.

That was the only way I could describe this. As he moved in closer, his finger pads gently running against my thighs to assess the baby hairs there, I couldn't stop myself from shifting slightly, my body heating up in a way that I had never noticed before.

For a moment, I thought the purring sound was coming from my obnoxious feline. It became apparent however, that was not the case as a cold nose rubbed against my neck, right where my pulse seemed to beat a frantic rhythm.

"Hmm…" His husky baritone had me shivering, and it was certainly not from the cold. Was I supposed to do something? Should I do something? I was almost terrified of the idea of it, afraid that I would do something wrong, something that would cause him to stop doing…well whatever it was he was doing.

Clenching my towel tightly, I adjusted myself slightly, lowering myself just enough so I could look into his eyes. My heart felt like it would stop as it took in the vibrant gold, and the amused expression on his face.

Blushing, I turned my head away, not entirely sure if I wanted to let him continue or dive into the icy cold water and drown myself.

Sensing my nervousness, he pulled back, and continued his thorough adventure of my thighs. A gentle wind passed through, and with it, a familiar scent reached my nostrils. It smelled like… my blanket. Of cardamom and the sweet fragrance of vanilla. Yet there was something else. A spiciness I had never noticed before. Almost…musky.

Was that him…or me? I couldn't stop the embarrassment from flooding through my veins. Any girl would be aroused in my position right? I mean, he was all but on top of me, his scent a mouth watering cologne, his hands strong and firm, the silk of his haori brushing my skin in a way that had my skin tingling.

"Are all humans so… particular about their bathing routines." His voice was teasing, and I couldn't help but decide I liked this side of him. It felt like a secret, that only the two of us shared.

"Uh… nope. Just me. I'm strange… you know… just gotta be …different." I wanted to smack my head into a tree. Could I possibly sound any more lame? I felt like I was in middle school all over again, stuttering over my words in front of the boy I liked. Why was he even bothering with me? Certainly he could find some cool confident demoness to flirt with?

Or perhaps he got his thrills out of mortifying sex deprived priestesses?

Either way, I was at a loss of what to do in this situation. How do you explain to a demon that you were actually a woman who came 500 years from the future? It was a closely guarded secret. Sesshomaru in particular thrived off of knowledge. I could only imagine what my knowledge of the future could affect if he found out. Inuyasha and the others had all agreed that no one could know, not even Rin.

I couldn't help but wonder if Sesshomaru might have figured it out. My textbooks that I sometimes pulled out when we were bored had to be strange to him. My clothes when we first met had to have been a shock.

Yet he never asked about it. Simply accepting that I came from a land far far away. It wasn't exactly a lie. Than again… it wasn't exactly the truth either.

"Different indeed." he mumbled, before finally putting the knife to the side. I couldn't stop the squeak from lurching out of my throat when he curled his hands underneath my knees and pulled my legs around his waist.

"Sessh!" I couldn't even finish his name as strong arms wrapped around me as he stood up, my towel falling around them as I wrapped my own around his neck. I tried to ignore the cold metal of his armor, or how the hairs on his forearms tickled my now bare thighs.

What could not be ignored however, was the was he sniffed my hair, or how his hot breath puffed against my ear. Biting my lip nervously, I took a cautious sniff of his neck, liking the way it soothed me.

Were all demons so …. touchy in the pursuit of a woman? Was I aloud to be just as forward? Or was touching him off limits? He was so close though… Taking a breath for courage, I leaned forward, gently nuzzling his neck with my nose. It was tentative, not exactly what one would call bold. More like a polite request for direction.

I could feel his intake of breath, before his fur wrapped around me, the pulse of power inside of it heady in its warmth and hidden strength. Suddenly I felt weightless, my limbs loose and relaxed against him.

The day suddenly felt so long, and my lack of sleep from the night before became incredibly noticeable as my lashes felt too heavy to keep open. I was lulled to sleep with the feeling of his hands rubbing up and down the smooth skin of my thighs, and the way his heart beat a strong, steady rhythm in his chest.

Shadows seemed to filter through my closed lids, not even the scent of cooking meat pulling me away from my relaxed state. I could hear Rin asking questions, her voice muffled, then shuffling noises.

Soon my world was turning, before I was laid down on the soft grass, the sweet smell of new growth filling my senses before the familiar feel of Rin's thick blanket was wrapped around me, except unlike before, this time it pulsed with the thrumming sensation of Sesshomaru's essence.

I didn't wake up again till what had to be after midnight. Rin's body was curled into mine, her sweet smile seemed to radiant with the gentle light of the moon. I felt so relaxed, enjoying the purring sensation Artemis made between us, his tail flickering in lazy delight.

Rolling over, I took in the dying embers of our campfire, how Jaken was snoring loudly against Ah-Un, before finally my eyes caught sight of silver hair and regal white and red cloth. He seemed content with staring at the stars, eyes staring blankly in the distance.

It reminded me of far away days, of hushed whispers as we debated questions in the solace of my hut while Rin slept, waiting for day break when she would awaken and be greeted with the sight of her returned lord.

This time though, he wasn't going anywhere. Or more like, he wasn't leaving me behind. No longer did I have to quietly wish that Rin could sleep just a bit longer, if only to prolong his stay. I couldn't stop an excited smile as I sat up.

Which quickly changed to mortification when I realized I still didn't have any clothes on. Covering myself quickly, I looked up, taking in the way golden eyes glowed with dark amusement, I felt the ever familiar heat in my cheeks.

Could he not have thought to put clothes on me? Looking around, I couldn't help but feel annoyed when I realized what innocently sat next to him. There was no doubt in my mind he had left my book bag there on purpose.

Glaring, I took in the way his eyebrow rose in challenge. He wanted me to get it…naked. Gripping the blanket, I quickly glanced at Rin. She was blissfully unaware in her dreamworld. It felt cruel to wake her to the chill of the night.

I could wait. Could close my eyes and pretend to sleep. It was still dark. There was no reason to get up now…but I was so bored, and the idea of chatting with the dog demon was something I looked forward to, despite his recent perverted personality.

Seriously, who left a person naked on the ground. I mean there are bugs out here! Suddenly feeling all too self-conscious, I brushed my hands over myself, squirming at the thought that maybe what felt like silky fibers were actually creepy crawlers.

Unable to take it anymore, I jumped up and ran as fast as I could to my bag, ducking behind the chuckling demon lord and sitting against his warm back.

"You are a jerk." I muttered, digging through my bag for my spare clothes. I ignored his rumbling, the way the sensation made my tummy twist in delight, or how his hair felt like cool silk against my heated skin.

"Humans are far too modest." I couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at that as I tucked myself into the protective layers of my clothes.

"So you have no qualms of running across the forest naked? Now wouldn't the be a sight to see." I teased, before grabbing a pair of tea cups, a kettle, and a homemade teabag.

He didn't reply, his lips only giving away a tiny smirk as his eyes glittered playfully. There wasn't a doubt in my mind he was contemplating doing just that. Perverted dog.

It took some coaxing to get the fire back to life. Taking a container of water off of Ah-Un's snoozing back, I got to work on making some tea.

Before long, I had two piping hot cups of tea ready. Offering Sesshomaru his cup first, I took a seat next to him to enjoy the peace of the night.

"Thank you… for bringing me with you. I know I'm…sometimes hard to deal with, but really, I'm grateful." I whispered, refusing to look away from the dancing flames in front of me. I had missed this. The sky, the adventure, the awareness that I was far from home.

"Your presence has been… a relief. It is I who is grateful." This time I couldn't help but look at him, my expression curious. His gaze never left Rin's sleeping form.

"You know you could have just left her for the summer right?" I couldn't keep the wry humor out of my voice. The idea that Rin had Sesshomaru wrapped so tightly around her finger was plain laughable.

"She is getting older." Cocking my head at him, I nodded my head quietly for him to continue.

"In a few years…she will possibly find a mate. She will wish to settle, to build a home, to bring her own pups into this world. She will no longer need…" his silence couldn't have been any louder. Me. She wouldn't need him anymore. She would be a big girl, a woman, ready to make her own decisions.

Suddenly, the sands of time felt heavy, and I couldn't help but lean my head of his arm, just taking her in. Demons, they lived so long. Our human lifespan was nothing more than a drop in the ocean for them.

Rin's existence, there was a time limit. An expiration date. It was the first time I realized that something scared Sesshomaru. He was scared of time itself. Of the day he had to let go of the people he cherished. He had opened his heart to a human child, knowing one day, he would have to let her go.

"Is that why you keep her in the village every winter?" It had honestly been on my mind for the longest time. Rin had spoken on multiple occasions of Sesshomaru's home in the west. Of a castle-like structure and of dozens of servants. Why not keep her there for the winter? Surely it was safer?

"She deserves to live with her kind. To be raised with a mother's affection. That is not something I can give her." I clenched my cup, his words squeezing my heart in a way that caused tears in my eyes.

So he did see me as Rin's mom. He wanted me to come because he wanted to cherish the time he had left with her, and who better to soothe her than the woman he viewed as her mother.

"Can I ask…why you seem so interested in me? I'm human too. There is nothing particularly remarkable about me. I have an even shorter lifespan left than Rin, so …why?"

I couldn't stop the nauseas feeling from flitting through me, or the way my stomach twisted painfully in anxiety. It was a question that had been on my mind since yesterday. His interest had been sudden, strong, and made me feel on edge.

His silence only made the sensation worse. Maybe I was reading everything wrong after all. Maybe he had just been teasing me. Maybe I was making something out of nothing. Perhaps it was a dog demon thing to be so… friendly? Inuyasha would have his moments too. Getting my hopes up only to turn around and pretend nothing had happened.

"Your scent." Huh? Did I smell? After all that work in the lake, it was probably ruined after laying on the ground. Sure the grass had been soft and I didn't seem to have any dirt on me but…

"It does not smell like normal humans." What exactly did that mean?

"I like to bathe." Was that what he meant? Even in the winter time, I had been pretty religious in making sure my body was clean, though washing with a cloth instead of diving in water was certainly not what I would call the most effective method. But it got the days grime off.

"You do seem to smell cleaner than the rest of your kind but that is not what was meant. You smell…as if time itself does not apply." I flinched, not sure if he knew how close to the truth he was getting. Or how wrong he was twisting it.

I wasn't from this time. He could smell it. But that didn't mean I was… exempt from time itself. I still aged. Had he gotten the wrong idea. That maybe I was different, that I didn't have an expiration date. That I was like him.?

I moved away from him like I had been burned, my heart pounding so hard I was certain it would break.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I watched from the corner of my eyes as his golden orbs flashed red, his face turning to face me so quickly it was amazing he did not get whiplash.

"You lie. Do NOT lie to me." Gripping my tea cup, I tried to keep it together. He deserved to know the truth. To not be disillusioned. And than what? Would whatever this is end? Before it even began? Would he put distance between us? Pretend nothing had happened.

Why did it even matter? There were plenty of demonesses out there that would surely live as long as he did. I was a simple priestess. Who didn't follow the rules. Who didn't back down to the laws of men. I was raised with a 21st century mentality. That women are equal to men. That I could be anything I wanted, if I put the needed effort into it.

It was something men of this era scoffed at. My knowledge in mathematics and literature was illogical to them. I was a woman. I was meant to have babies and keep house. Not aspire for higher education. The only thing that probably kept them at bay was that I am a priestess, and some priestesses did get blessed with knowledge from the gods.

"This Sesshomaru is waiting for an answer priestess." He didn't sound thrilled at being lied to. At his question being avoided. At the idea that I would deny his claim, that it was possible that I wasn't what he thought I was.

"You know that I'm…not from around here. I told you that I was from a far away land…which isn't true. I mean it is but it isn't."

I had never dreamed that I would be having this discussion with him. I tried to push away the heart break, the knowledge that every word that came out of my mouth would dissuade his pursuit. If I had just kept my mouth shut, I could have had a few more blissful days, maybe even weeks or months. But nooooo.

"Do not question my intellect priestess. I have known for years that you are from the future. That is not the scent I was talking about."

I whipped my head back at him, dropping my tea to the ground in shock. How? What? When did he find out? Who had snitched?! He shot me an amused look, obviously finding my shock hilarious.

"Your books priestess. They had dates on them. They had been transcribed in 2010. The last time I checked, that was about 500 years from now." I couldn't help but blush, feeling the slightest bit mortified. I had given myself away. Years ago. With those stupid math books. Possibly even the story books I had read to Rin.

Of course he would have seen the year on them. Hadn't he been interested in the strange material they had been made of? It had never even occurred to me to mark out the dates on them. I had just been excited to gain his interest in something.

"If you're hoping that I'm gonna give you secrets of the future by being with me, you are sorely mistaken. I was only a teenager when I left, and I didn't exactly have all the time to learn the world's secrets."

He looked bored at my insinuation, irritation flickering through his eyes at my judgement of his character.

"There is nothing you could say that would change anything this Sesshomaru does." Growling, I turned away from him, barely able to keep myself steady from the turn in conversation. What did it matter what his reason was?

He had made it clear it wasn't my personality he was interested in. Nor my looks. So what? He just liked the way I smelled. That was it? I had good body odor? He liked a girl with a healthy hygiene with a zesty scent of time mixed in?

"So I smell like a good time is what you're saying." my play on words wasn't lost to him, nor my agitation behind them. Perhaps I should just go to bed. I had already wasted two days of my life worrying about nothing. Why bother wasting another minute?

"You are being impossible." His words had me to my feet, my body shaking with the need to yell, to stomp my feet, to just get away.

"And you're being a jerk!" I spat before walking away. With angered movements, I found Rin's thin blanket strapped on Ah-Un's back. I wanted nothing to do with Sesshomaru at the moment. Not his fur. Not his scent. Not his fucked up sense of romance.

It shouldn't have surprised me when I was no longer at camp. That the forest flew at lightning speed, the darkness completely throwing off my sense of time and place.

"You are misunderstanding." We were back at the lake, far enough from camp that no one could hear us argue, but close enough for him to get back if there was an emergency. Either way, I was not happy.

"What the hell am I misunderstanding Sesshomaru?! Because I think you made it pretty freaking clear. Go find some demoness to put up with your bullshit. I refused to be some man's plaything because you think I'll 'last a little longer'."

We had argued with each other a thousand times. But never because I was hurt. It had always been about Rin, or something we just didn't agree on. This though, this was different. I wanted to claw his eyes out. I wanted to cry. I wanted to go home…

"Your scent is not the only thing about you I find desirable. You are just twisting my words to suit your insecurities." I felt the power inside me burn, become unstable, before flaring around me.

"SO WHAT IF I'M INSECURE! BLAME YOUR STUPID BROTHER FOR THAT!" I ignored his roar of exasperation, or the way his dominating aura pressured down on mine. I was furious, hurt, and in desperate need of time alone to decompress.

The more he tried to get me under control, the more I fought at him. I bared my teeth at him, feeling my very soul rebelling against him. I didn't want to hear anymore. I didn't want to admit what he said was true. That the idea of being with someone scared me. That the notion that once again a man didn't want me for me, but for something that I couldn't control pissed me off to no end.

First Kikyo, now this! I could only be thankful he had been honest from the beginning. It was nothing personal. It never was. Was I so unloveable? Was there nothing about me that a man would find attractive?

I burrowed myself in my power, letting it consume me. It wasn't until I heard his roar of pain that I finally snapped out of it. He had let his protective demonic energy drop, instead choosing to crash through my spiritual one, his arms wrapping around me despite the pain he must be experience.

Frightened, I clawed inside myself to control it. I never wanted to hurt him. Only to push him away. The smell of burnt flesh brought tears to my eyes, and instantly I was crying out apologies, my aura pulsing with a healing energy that surrounded him.

"Is this what you meant when you said you would be hard to handle?" his teasing tone made me chuckle despite myself, my body relaxing into his arms. How was this possible. Wanting to tear each other apart on moment, joking the next. It was so unlike him. I should be dead for what I had just done…yet somehow he found it funny. Perhaps I wasn't the crazy one here?

"May I finish now or will you need to skin a new blanket of fur off of me first?" I pouted into his chest, not liking his humor, but not having the will to fight him anymore.

"Fine." That was all he was getting out of me. He could have a second chance… for now. A soothing purr had me melting further into his arms, his nose nuzzling the pulse of my neck.

"Your scent, it changed after the shikon jewel was destroyed. The scent of death left you that day. It intrigued me, and I felt compelled to understand what had changed. At first I thought Inuyasha would take advantage of it, that he would mate you."

I couldn't help but feel my heart twist at the memories of those days, of the broken hope that had ripped through me, of how we had tried to put a bandaid on our friendship. What we had now was a broken thing, stitched together with hard work and the need to preserve what we had.

"I found you…interesting. Intelligent. Feisty. Powerful. Humble. I came to enjoy seeing you. It wasn't particularly surprising to discover you were not of this time. The strange clothes, the words you would say, your lack of propriety at times, it was obvious you were different."

It was hard, to let my heart hope. To think that maybe it was okay to see where he was going with this. Where we could go with this.

"I just tried to turn you into a barbecue, and you are saying nice things about me. Who are you and what have you done with Sesshomaru?" I joked tiredly. He nipped my neck in reprimand, his claws brushing through my hair in a way that made me shiver.

"This Sesshomaru prefers a woman with strength and spirit, not something easily found. You have more than proved yourself worthy, many times over. I had hoped to wait to court you properly when Rin had grown a bit more but… this Sesshomaru has never been known for his patience."

It wasn't exactly a praiseworthy love confession but it was what I had been hoping for. He liked me, at least he liked my personality. I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole I don't smell like death thing, but decided not to look into it too closely. Right now, I was content.

"So do I get a say in any of this. Or are we going with your assumption that you're all that and no woman could possible resist your charm." He raised an eyebrow at me, obviously humoring me for a moment.

"Priestess, are you saying you do not find me irresistible?" Okay, I gotta admit, he was pretty damn irresistible.

"Hmmm well… I guess you're alright, you know, for a demon 500 years in the past and all. I suppose I'll make do." His disbelieving huff could be a thing of legend, and with a snort of laughter, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled his lips to mine.

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XD yes I had to stop there. I actually had a whole different conversation planned, wanting Kagome and Sesshomaru to get to know each other better, but honestly, with Kagome's insecurities, I just knew this one had to be answered. Expect more fluffy goodness in the future. Please remember to follow, favorite, AND REVIEW!


	5. Fairy Dust

Omg I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! Like what the heck? To be honest, I was a little lost on how I should continue this story. I'm like okay LaVixie, you fell off plot there for a minute, time to get back on course...and then I was like um... where was that again lol? Thankfully this little nugget came to me today, and I'm like YESSSSSS. Okay, now that I am back on task, time to get to writing the next chapters of Silence and Solace. :)

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 **Chapter 5: Fairy Dust**

How do you date a guy like Sesshomaru? Was that even the right word for it? As sharp teeth nibbled their way down down the column of my sensitive throat, I couldn't help but shiver.

I personally thought dating was supposed to be romantic. Full of candle light and a fancy restaurant. Those days were light years away though. Men didn't take women out on picnics in this era. Maybe buy them fancy jewelry but that was probably as romantic as it got.

No, men found a woman their parents approved of, wed them, bed them, and put children into them. It was a feminists worst nightmare. I couldn't help but feel like the exception however.

After all, there was no way in hell Sesshomaru's mother would ever approve of me. I was a human woman, and a priestess no less. Rin had told me stories of the candid woman, and I had long since made a mental note never to meet the woman. She sounded positively terrifying.

Perhaps his father would have liked me. He had fallen in love with a human woman after all. He was dead though, so I guess we'll never know.

Warm fingers with deadly claws worked their way up my hakama, bunching the fabric at my thighs, a pleased hum against the crook of my neck had me shivering.

It was doubtful Sesshomaru would ever marry me. Having kids probably made him shudder. He had a hard enough time with Rin as it was, and she was human. God forbid they had a demon temperament mixed in.

My breath caught in my throat as warm hands gripped the naked flesh of my bottom, the feeling foreign and yet somehow, it made white, hot fire burn in my veins. The action felt so…dominating. As if he was claiming me, holding me in the palms of his hands, telling me in no uncertain terms that I was his, that he would take and appreciate every bite.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to melt in a big pile of feminine goo or yell at him for getting so handsy.

Oh he would bed me alright. Probably over and over again till I was nothing more then moaning flesh. There was nothing romantic about him. He wasn't a man who was ever given anything. There was no silver spoon that he had been born with.

It was clear he was a man who worked hard for everything he ever had. His lands, his strength, his intellect. He would not wait for things to be handed to him. He would take them, claim them, and use them as he saw fit.

Knowing all this about his personality, I only wrapped my thighs around his waist tighter, wanting him closer, needing this moment to last. There was something alluring about being desired. About finally, for the first time in years, taking something for myself. Allowing myself to be selfish, to not be scared of the unknown.

Maybe it wasn't that men didn't want me? Maybe, at some point, I stopped wanting myself? The idea of opening my heart or body to a man in this way had terrified me. What if I woke up and he was gone? What if he turned around and decided there was some better woman out there that would catch his eye and he left me?

Those thoughts had held me willingly imprisoned in my own life. I had carved out my own isolation from one bad relationship, deciding that if love could make someone feel that way about themselves, that there was no point in giving it a second chance.

But insecurity and loneliness is a cruel monster, a parasite that grew the longer you dwelled in it. As hot lips found mine once more, I tightened my hold around his neck, practically purring from the attention, my body wiggling in delight.

Loneliness made a woman bitter. It caused her light to dim and curl into a ball of self doubt. Insecurity kept a woman stagnant. It caused you to see only darkness when you should have been seeing rainbows.

I didn't want to be that person anymore. I wanted to be happy again. I wanted to feel things, the good, the bad, and grow from it.

I broke away from his lips with a gasp, taking in hooded golden eyes, how his breathed huffed from wet lips, the flesh making me thirsty for another taste. I needed to stop being the girl who gives. Instead, I need to become the woman who takes.

Fisting my hand into his hair, I crashed my mouth back onto his, loving the way he stepped back, his back pressing against a tree, his hands pulling me closer to him, his lips meeting mine eagerly as I tasted every corner of his mouth.

"Um…milord…?" A noise that sounded like a mixture of an eep and a scream escaped my throat, and with embarrassment, I hid my face into the crook of Sesshomaru's neck, not wanting to face what had to be a mortifying situation.

What the heck was Jaken doing here? And why the hell was he interrupting when it was just getting to the good part?!

Despite what it must have looked like, Sesshomaru did not let me go, seeming completely at ease with keeping his hands on my ass, exposing the whites of my thighs to anyone who was looking.

"Jaken…explain your presence…Now." His growl would make grown men wet themselves. In my case, it only made me smirk, secretly ecstatic that he hadn't pushed me away. Honestly he seemed more pissed about being interrupted than being caught.

My blue eyes peaked at Jaken to take in his frightened expression. The cowering imp took to prostrating himself on the ground, deciding that groveling was the best course of action to save his unworthy miserable hide. And I thought I had insecurity issues?

"This unworthy servant is so sorry to interrupt…but Rin… uh…" at this he trailed off. Growling in irritation, I turned towards him, worry causing me to forget about my mortification at being caught so…scandalously.

"Rin is what?!" I could feel Sesshomaru flinch, his nose automatically turned up to start scenting the wind, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"She um… well she wasn't at camp, and I tried calling for her but she did not answer and I got worried and started looking for her and then I found Lord Sesshomaru and…" his silence was louder than words as he stared at me with his large bulging eyes, his distaste obvious to even a blind person.

I narrowed my eyes at him, fighting the urge to hold my tongue. He didn't seem particularly distasteful when he was staring at me bathing yesterday, the creep.

I tried not to feel too disappointed when Sesshomaru's hands slowly forced my thighs from his waist, allowing me touch the ground, one foot at a time. Without another word, he started walking off, silently following Rin's scent.

Shrugging, I followed after him, not even bothering to check and see if Jaken followed after us. It wasn't that I disliked the toad…he was obviously close to Rin in his own strange way, and obviously cared for the girl. I just wish he wasn't such a judgmental prick is all.

It didn't take too long to find her. Honestly, I heard her voice before I even caught sight of her. She was … laughing. Cocking my head to the side, I could help but feel curious. Sure, Rin had always been a happy child, but it had been a long time since I heard her laugh like that.

Turning my head to Sesshomaru, I took in the way his brows seem to frown with concentration, before slowly walking closer to the direction of her voice.

When Rin finally came into view, at first I thought she was talking to herself. It soon became clear that the sparkling lights around her were actually tiny demons. Tiny…fairies? I felt my breath catch as Artemis pawed at the air towards the tiny winged creatures, eagerly trying to catch the small orbs of light.

It had to be like two in the morning, the night feeling especially dark as the clouds had moved into block the moonlight. I couldn't help but feel at awe as I watched Rin talk to a tiny winged creature that sat securely on her finger, her face visible from the soft glow.

"Are those…fairies?" I whispered, not able to convince myself to interrupt the scene. I don't know why things like this shocked me. Hadn't I learned that the feudal era was full of mystery? So why was I surprised at the possibility that fairies actually existed.

"Indeed. They are quite bothersome creatures. Known for leading women astray to make them their queens." Blinking at him, I turned back towards Rin. She was only a child, or at least, to me she was. But there was no denying her body was slowly teetering towards womanhood. Perhaps the fairies had sensed that, and were preying on her unstable state.

"So…what do we do? Barge in there with a shot gun and demand they unhand our daughter?" I joked, not able to stop myself from snickering. It was every dad's worst nightmare. Men flirting with their baby girls and promising them sweet nothings. I suddenly couldn't help but feel sorry for Rin.

A man would have to be suicidal to try barking up that tree. For a moment Sesshomaru looked confused, no doubt wondering what a shot gun was. I really should stop it with the future lingo, but sometimes I just couldn't resist. Deciding now was not the time to teach him about future weaponry, I instead focused on the task at hand. The fairies seemed harmless enough, I mean, they were no bigger than my hand. So there wasn't really a need to go in there guns blazing right?

Without further thought, I started walking towards Rin and her new pals, leaving Sesshomaru behind to observe the situation.

Quietly taking a seat next to the raven haired teen, I allowed my eyes to fully take in the tiny winged creatures.

The one on her finger was male, his hair silvery white and short, chopped in layers just long enough to frame his heart shaped face. He wore a light blue sleeveless tunic, with white hakama, a dark blue sash in the middle completing the look. With his sharp golden eyes, I couldn't help but feel slightly enamored.

He was …well… cute, not to mention young. He looked just slightly older than Rin, not to mention those see through wings looked so adorable. It took everything inside me not to squeal, knowing that it probably wouldn't be appreciated.

"Who is your friend Rin?" She didn't seemed bothered by my interruption, only raising him higher in the air, allowing me to get a closer look.

"I am Haru, first son of Haruo, the Fae lord of this forest. You must be Kagome. I have heard much about you priestess of the Shikon jewel, destroyer of Naraku." I blinked at his polite tone, his words carrying a silkiness equivalent to a cat demon.

Blushing at his flattery, I shook my head to deny them. Sure, I had been born with the shikon jewel in my body, but I had also been the one to break it into a thousand pieces. My idiocy had caused suffering to so many, giving people like Naraku the power to cause devastation to any they encountered that got in the way of their greed. It wasn't exactly something to be proud of.

"You give me too much credit Haru. That was years ago, and I hadn't exactly done a great job in protecting the jewel, nor did I have that huge of a role in defeating Naraku. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had done most of the work." That last part was nothing more then a whisper.

At this, Haru gave me a sly smile, his wings flickering slightly. "I have also heard tales of your great beauty, as well as your equally great modesty." Okay…I can see what Sesshomaru had meant when he said the little buggers could lead a woman astray. He was like a midget casanova.

Despite knowing this, I didn't get a creepy feeling from him. He felt…honest. It was kind of nice. I almost jumped slightly when Artemis pounced at Rin's hand, his yowl of delight turning remorseful when his prey only flittered to my shoulder, easily taking a seat as Rin grabbed the sneaky predator, holding the protesting feline in her lap.

"Rin is sorry about Artemis. He likes to hunt…flying things." I had to keep myself from giggling, knowing that the feline was quite the avid bird hunter. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he though our new friend would make a tasty midnight snack.

"Indeed." Haru's voice was dry, clearly unamused by Artemis's attempt on his life.

"So…how did you two meet." I didn't have to hide my pointed look from Rin, knowing she'd read my expression clearly. You were supposed to be in bed missy! Blushing at the look I was giving her, Rin shifted, obviously uncomfortable.

"Rin woke up and her lord and Kagome were gone. Rin was going to look for you but got…distracted." Uh huh, yeah, and I'm really a duck. I sent an unimpressed look to Haru, making it clear I was on to him. No mother would ever be okay with some winged boy flirting with their daughter at this time of night, no matter how cute he might be.

"Uhhh right! I saw her wandering the forest and thought perhaps she was lost and needed assistance." My stare only seemed to make him sweat nervously, before just barely dodging another pounce from Artemis. Screeching, I scruffed the overzealous feline, before pushing him on his back and softly petting his belly.

Instantly, purrs filled the clearing. Artemis apparently had missed the memo about cats not being fond of belly rubs, because he was an absolute looney for them. Rolling my eyes at how easy it was to distract him, I turned back to Haru, noting that this time he was sitting on Rin's lap.

"Remove yourself from her person or die." Sesshomaru's voice seemed to bounce off the trees, his threat a barely restrained growl. Papa bear was out, and he was not a happy camper.

Jolting from his spot, Haru looked towards the direction of the voice, taking in the sight of one pissed off humanoid dog demon. To his credit, he hid his fear from his face well, however, his white glow seemed to change to an almost bluish grey tint. I couldn't help but feel that was a dead give away to how scared he must be feeling.

"L-Lord Sesshomaru! What brings you to this part of the forest!" Gazing uneasily at Sesshomaru, I took in the way he narrowed his eyes at the fairy, most likely irritated at being questioned about such a mundane thing.

"Rin is his ward, Haru. We are currently traveling to the west together." I watched as Haru's face suddenly looked all too pale as he stared at Rin, before once more glancing at the demon lord. I could practically see Sesshomaru's demonic energy fill the clearing, making it clear that he was not happy with the current situation.

"I…see. It is a…pleasure to meet you, great dog demon of the west. Your ward and shikon priestess are positively delightful company. I was just um… looking after them as they looked lost." Had to admit, the kid had game. Don't get me wrong, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he was the cause of how Rin had become lost, as I knew her first instinct would have been to look for us at the lake, not in the dark forest that surrounded it.

Sesshomaru only flicked the fairy out of his way before stepping in front of us, not in anyway looking amused. Forgetting momentarily to rub Artemis's belly, the cat pounced on the unsuspecting fairy, a muffled yell sounding from the grass before Artemis stepped back, his brown monkey tail wiggling in excitement before pouncing again.

With reflexes I wasn't aware I had, I grabbed the cat before he could stomp the fairy to death, not willing to be responsible for the loss of some Fae lord's son just because my cat was a little…bored.

"Ugh…was that really necessary?" Rin giggled at his words, before kneeling next to the beaten creature. His wings were dented and dirty, silver hair now brown with dirt, and that glow of his was a light red that definitely spoke of irritation.

"Rin is sorry Haru. Are you okay?" Gently, she picked him up, tenderly petting his wings with her thumbs as an apology. Feeling bad for the tiny guy, I put my hands over Rin's, covering her friend, before allowing a healing pulse to flow from my hands into his small form. When I took my hands away, his wings were back to their previous pristine state. Hair was still dirty though. I wasn't a miracle worker after all.

"Thank you Lady Kagome. You are too kind." A growl from Sesshomaru had the fairy slouching, no doubt terrified of the dog demon's wrath.

"Oh don't be so mean Sesshomaru. Have a little heart for the little people." I admonished, knowing it would tick him off but not willing to squish someone who called me kind like some kind of bug.

"He is trying to seduce Rin. Or do you not realize the situation?" Sighing, I stood up before brushing off my clothes.

Turning my attention to the fairy, I glared, letting him know I would not be taken lightly.

"What intentions did you have bringing Rin out here? Or is what Sesshomaru saying the truth. Curious minds need to know." For a moment, Haru was quiet, his eyes flickering between Sesshomaru and I.

"If you think I am trying to seduce her, rest assured, I am a little too young for that...and if you didn't notice, so is she. I simply was sitting here with my colony, when she came over, curious about the lights we were giving off. When I came over to greet her, the wild feline kept trying to attack me, so she let me sit on her finger to keep me out of harms way."

"That's right. Rin was about to look for Kagome and Lord Sesshomaru, but then there were all these lights glowing and Rin wanted to see what it was." Rin sounded apologetic enough, obviously trying to wrap her brain around the seriousness of the conversation we were currently having. Haru, for his part, looked slightly embarrassed, his glow taking on a pinkish tone. I couldn't help but find his color changes intriguing.

Sesshomaru didn't particularly looked appeased, not that I could blame him. To be honest, I wanted to be furious at the fairy too, however, he hadn't exactly acted as if he was trying to steal Rin away. I mean, wouldn't he have brought her back to his super secret fairy lair? We had found them pretty easily. They had barely traveled more than a few minutes from camp.

"Priestess, are you telling me you wish to take this fae's word?"

"There are worse things in life Sesshomaru then becoming some fairy lord's queen. Just saying." What would he say if I told him women in the future wrote romance novels about it. Nah, better keep that one to myself.

"Are you telling this Sesshomaru that you wish to be some fae's queen?" His voice was a deathly whisper that had my toes curling with agitation.

"No you idiot! That is not what I said!" Turning my back to him, I huffed before walking back in the direction we had came, clearly needing some beauty sleep. I wasn't ready to deal with jealous dog demons or flirtatious teenage fairy boys. Wake me when it's over I say!

"Um…was it something you said?" Rin asked, turning to look at her demon lord. Sesshomaru only shook his head before following after me. It wasn't until we were all at camp, that I realized Rin had brought her fairy friend with her.

"Uh… are you like…staying the night or something?" Haru looked particularly calm with his eyes closed at my question, sitting cross legged in Rin's hand, though I did see him sneak a peek at Sesshomaru to see how he would react. The golden eye'd demon seemed content to just sit down and stare at the fire Jaken restarted.

Maybe I shouldn't have called him an idiot. But where the heck did the idea of me becoming a fae queen come from? I just didn't want him killing the poor guy was all. I mean, sure I wasn't happy that Rin had been led off, and we are definitely having another talk about walking off with strangers, but he was only six inches tall!

But if it worried Sesshomaru…maybe I should be more worried. I mean, I didn't know anything about fairies. Other then some folklore.

"Well…I can't just leave two lovely ladies in the jowls of a vicious dog demon. I thought…perhaps you would require some company." At this his golden eyes glittered with humor. It was obvious to everyone that against someone like Sesshomaru, he was nothing more than a mere annoyance, but even I could respect his determination nonetheless.

"Rin, time for bed." Sesshomaru's words were absolute, leaving no room for argument. As the child crawled into our bed of fur, I glared at the fairy, letting him know his "protection" was not needed there. Smiling sheepishly, he flittered to a nearby tree branch, his glow reminding me of a nightlight.

"Even look in her direction and I guarantee you, you won't live to see sunrise." I promised, making sure the fairy knew exactly whose side I was on.

I stayed seated at the fire, waiting for Rin's breaths to even out, my shoulders sagging tiredly when after what had to be a half hour she was off into blissful sleep.

It had been a long day, and an even longer night. I should be joining her but… I didn't want to go to sleep feeling this way. Waking up on unsure footing left a bad taste in my mouth, and with a silent huff of encouragement, I quietly got up before walking over to Sesshomaru, taking in how he didn't even look at me.

Unsure where to look, I finally settled on the stars in the sky, taking in the tiny lights that finally broke free from the dark clouds that hid them from the world.

"I'm sorry…about earlier. I just… I didn't want you to hurt him. I know what he did was wrong, and I'm not endorsing it…I just didn't think it needed to escalate into this huge deal but I know what you mean. You had every right to be angry and I wasn't really helping the situation. And no, I don't want to be a fae queen. I'm happy enough being…" Yours. It was something I didn't dare say out loud. We were .5 seconds into our relationship, and already we were having problems.

It felt ridiculous, but then again, I never seemed to be in a normal relationship. Normal arguments involved arguing over what movie you want to watch or what restaurant you wanted to go to. Not me though. I gotta argue about whether or not I wanna be queen of fairyland.

"This Sesshomaru knows that… I was simply being …unreasonable in my accusation of you. I do not however, approve of the fae being near Rin, but I will allow it with...supervision." I couldn't fight the small smile that tilted my lips up, or the way my fingers gently pet his head, taking care not to ruffle his perfect hair.

"You know, some women like the whole jealousy thing. Me, I just like a guy who believes in my loyalty, and doesn't feel the need to question it. After all, why would I want to be with some fairy boy when their is this hunky dog demon with really nice hair chasing after me." At this Sesshomaru stood up, his amber eyes practically glowing in the darkness.

"I am aware of this ones folly, and will learn to be more…tolerant." It wasn't exactly a promise not to fly off the handle next time, but it was a mature answer nonetheless, and I couldn't help but chuckle at his attempt to reconcile.

"So is this where we kiss and make up?" My joke was answered with hungry lips, his large hands grasping my waist and pulling me towards him, letting me know his appreciation of the white flag I had waved.

Unable to resist, I wrapped my arms around his neck, allowing myself to just relax and enjoy this moment.

"You are tired. Rest." his whisper brushed gently against my lips, claws moving in soothing circles on my back. Without thinking, I relaxed further into his chest, my eyes closing and barely aware as we sat back down, allowing me to curl into his lap and listen to the sound of his heart beat.

It was slow. I counted the seconds between each beat. Five. It was a crazy long time to wait between heart beats, and yet it was nothing more than further proof that he was not human. His heart did not need to work nearly as hard to pump precious blood through his body.

Yet each beat was strong, reassuring. I pressed my ear harder against his chest, tuning out the sounds of the night, no longer taking in the cadence of insect songs or the rustling of the wind. Instead, I just focused on that thumping sound that made me realize his heart was real.

He was letting me have this, something I couldn't even begin to believe nor feel as if I deserved.

Why me? He had tried to explain it. That he found qualities in me that he found desirable. But as I thought about it, why him?

He was the brother of Inuyasha, the man who broke my heart. He had trouble written on him like a flashing billboard. He wasn't sweet, didn't say the right things, and he killed things…what should have been an automatic deal breaker.

But he was sarcastic in a way that made me laugh. He could admit when he was wrong. He raised a human girl that had nothing to do with him, something even human men weren't common to do. He's handsome, and there is a loyalty in him that was hard to ignore. Not to mention, he had a strong moral code, something I couldn't help but find desirable.

He had baggage. That I could tell. He didn't exactly have a warm and fuzzy personality either. But something about him made me feel safe, protected in a way that Inuyasha had never made me feel. Or maybe it was just there was a maturity to him that I was craving.

Either way, for the first time in a long time, I was excited to see where this relationship could go. It was something worth fighting for, which was something I hadn't had in a really, really long time.

"Good night, Sesshomaru." He didn't repeat the sentiment, but as I drifted off to the lull of dreams, his rumbling purr filled me with a sweet contentment. I couldn't wait to see what tomorrow would bring.

* * *

Thank you everyone for reading my newest chapter. To be honest, I was like Rin needs a love interest. But I'm like uh... can't just bring in a teenage boy LaVixie. Sesshomaru would kill him. And then I was like, what if he was like Shippo, small, unassuming. And then I watched a amv of sailor moon and saw Helios and Peruru and was like yessssss. And that my friends, is where inspiration comes from lol!

Also, I know not everyone will agree how Kagome handled this situation. You have to remember, she's 20 years old. Where Sesshomaru has no problem killing things that threaten what are his, Kagome's nature doesn't allow that. She wants to understand the situation better, and has only modern day knowledge to base things on. Just because she has lived in the feudal era for 5 years, doesn't mean she is any less a modern day girl.

I hope you liked this chapter, and remember to follow, favorite, AND REVIEW! Help me in my effort to make 60 reviews!


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